Working With the Enemy - Book 3 in the Chronicles of Samantha Shepard
by Desert Sunrise
Summary: After disappearing for two years and waking up amidst an age-old enemy, Shepard fights to regain what she has lost - the trust of the Alliance, some of her dearest friends and her lost love. With a new Normandy, a Cerberus crew and self doubts raised by the improbability of her own continued existence, Shepard must battle humanity's newest emerging enemy, the Collectors.
1. Best Laid Plans

**Notes: This story is the third in the Samantha Shepard series, following (1) First Life and (2) Only Hope Remains. This installment is basically a serialization of my ME2 play-through, with some AU twists with "extras." Some new characters were introduced, so you may want to start with First Life if you want to figure out who they are... or who my Shepard is, other than paragon space-born hero vanguard. It is a fairly canon story, with a few plot twists and changes of sequencing, but I don't believe there will be anything you can't figure out by context... hope you enjoy!**

**References: **

**Casca Rufio Longinus, The Eternal Mercenary, **series by Barry Sadler

* * *

Ch 1: Best Laid Plans

Commander Samantha Shepard sat in the Cerberus shuttle staring out the window but seeing nothing. She was still trying to wrap her head around what the hell was happening with her life. At least she hoped it was her life, and not some clone or highly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) that only thought it was Commander Shepard. _God, how did I get here...?_ The last thing she remembered from her 'real life' was being spaced as the Normandy disintegrated around her; her life as she knew it should have been over, yet here she was, supposedly in the flesh, with only a vague back-story to fill in the gaps. _Project Lazarus. I have risen from the dead. _ Maybe this was the worst part of Hell; to make someone think they actually had a second chance at life, just to rip it all away again. She was sitting in the shuttle, but even for her it was hard to believe. _As long as it's Lazarus and not Casca Rufio Longinus! I don't want to wander forever as a soldier, never knowing peace!_

She remembered a brief glance of Lawson and Wilson when she woke once before, apparently an attempt on Wilson's part to get rid of her, saved only by Miranda walking in for an unscheduled check before she went to bed. Bad luck for Wilson, because that was when Lawson started to suspect something was up. Bad luck because Lawson was very good at what she did and she started checking into his actions and discovered Wilson was working with the Shadow Broker. People who crossed Cerberus tended to end up dead. _Just like Dad. _ Yet, here Shepard was, sitting in a Cerberus shuttle, actually contemplating working with them. No; she planned to use their resources to get back to the Alliance and then find Liara at the first opportunity. _Now that's a plan._

Freedom's Progress had been an eye opener; Collectors! Shepard briefly wondered if the ship that attacked the Normandy was a Collector ship. It would fit the limited data she received before it blew the Normandy into nothingness...or better, the data they didn't receive because the vessel had matched no known signatures. They hadn't known what the hell it was, just that it packed one hell of a punch; a punch strong enough to rip the Normandy in half and kill her. Or so she thought at the time. She couldn't really have died and been resurrected... could she? One good thing about whatever it was that happened to her was she no longer suffered from any of the Prothean beacon nightmares. Somehow, they were no longer prevalent; maybe her subconscious just blocked them because they were no longer relevant. The dreams had gotten them to Ilos and given them a heads up on the Reapers; the beacon had served its purpose and they had stopped the immediate threat of Sovereign. Of course it didn't really matter, because her nightmares had just been replaced; now she dreamt about dying. Constantly reliving the last breaths you ever thought you would take was definitely bad. Another bad thing was her new body; it was strong and fast, no mistaking that, with its enhanced skeleton and cybernetic improvements, but it wasn't hers. Same size, same shape, same face; she weighed more because of her alloy-enhanced skeleton, but all her old scars, the visible memories of her past, where she came from, how she became who she was...they were all gone. Most people would be thrilled, but for Shepard, it was like her history had been erased. In the most basic sense, it looked like her, but one doesn't go through death and a rebirth without coming out changed. So, she sat on a Cerberus shuttle and whether she wanted it or not, whether she was ready or not, the purpose of her new lease on life was to stop the Collectors, no matter who she worked with.

She arrived back at the Cerberus base station and went directly to the communications room to speak with the Illusive Man, whom Shepard referred to as TIM. She thought 'The Illusive Man' was too damn pretentious. When the image solidified, the voice spoke, "Shepard. Good work on Freedom's Progress." TIM was surprised that the Quarians actually forwarded the data from Veetor's debrief, given their history with Cerberus. Shepard was derisive, and told him he should try playing nice one in a while, that he might be surprised by the results. TIM countered that some of their more radical operations made their reputation one that didn't allow them to play nice and get results. More important to him was Shepard's confirmation that the Collectors were definitely involved in the disappearances. He then stressed again that the Council and the Alliance were ignoring the issue by insisting the Reaper threat ended with Sovereign, and they had spent the last two years sweeping it under the rug and discrediting any stories about a continued threat. TIM then stated, "I won't wait until the Reapers are on the march. We need to take the fight to them."

Shepard agreed with the strategy and looked straight at the Illusive Man. "If this is a war, and I'm going to lead it, I need a really good team. I need my team."

"I've already compiled a list of soldiers, scientist, and mercenaries. You'll get dossiers on the best of them as we determine their locations. Catching up to them and convincing them to work with you could be challenging, but you're a natural leader. I have confidence you'll do just fine. While you put your team together, I'll continue to track the Collectors. When they make their next appearance, I'll put you and your team on an intercept course."

Shepard told TIM to keep his list. "I already told you, I need my team. I want people I trust, the ones who helped me stop Saren and the Geth."

TIM wasn't swayed. "That was two years ago, Commander. Most of them have moved on or fell off the grid, like Ashley Williams and Garrus Vakarian. Williams is on some special project, location unknown. Dr T'Soni is on Illium, working for the Shadow Broker and can't be trusted. Garrus Vakarian worked for her for a while when she started as an information broker, but when she changed allegiances, Vakarian refused to work with her anymore and disappeared. I don't know where he is now, and our sources have been unable to locate him."

Shepard was dumbstruck by the idea of Liara working for the Shadow Broker, but tried to not let her surprise show. Sam didn't believe it, and if that piece of information proved false, which Shepard believed was the case, then little else the Illusive Man was saying could be trusted. _If only I had known that before I saw Tali! She could have checked it out for me!_ Without an independent source of intel, Shepard was at a severe disadvantage. She realized it was nothing she hadn't overcome before and pressed on. "What about Wrex?"

TIM stated flatly, "You know he returned to Tuchanka, and I know he hasn't gone off world since. He's working to unite the Krogan clans and convince them to find a cure to the Genophage. You're welcome to try, but he completely ignored all our attempts at contact." Shepard crossed her arms and thought, _yeah...because he has soooo many reasons to trust you!_

"And Tali? She already helped us on Freedom's Progress. She said she had another mission. If we can find out what that is and I help her finish it, maybe she'll join us." Samantha didn't hold much hope for that; Tali had been pretty firm in turning Shepard down when she asked the first time, but it still might be nice to know what she's working on.

TIM was evasive, but didn't shoot down the possibility completely, answering, "That was unexpected. I need more intel before I can commit to that."

Shepard just shook her head in disgust, not that she expected true cooperation from Cerberus anyway. "Okay, I get it. They're not available. Send me the dossiers and I'll start looking them over."

TIM took a long drag on his cigarette then said, "Good. Two things before you go. First, head to Omega and find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant Salarian scientist. He's our best shot at finding a way to counteract the Collector seeker swarms."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "Sounds logical. That will be essential to future operations. Can't do much if we're stuck in some sort of stasis. What's the second thing?"

TIM looked smug for a moment, and then announced, "I found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust." With that, the Illusive Man abruptly cut the transmission.

Before Shepard could even turn around she heard the unmistakable voice of Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau. "Hey, Commander. Just like old times, huh?"

Shepard was mostly quiet, but Joker spoke for a long time, telling her the tale of woe of how everything fell apart when she disappeared. The Council disavowed anything and everything about the Reapers, claiming Sovereign was just an advanced Geth ship. They got no support from the Alliance, and the team was broken up and everyone's records were sealed. Then he said that he got grounded. All Joker had ever wanted to do was fly and he was the best the Alliance had to offer, yet they grounded him. When Cerberus told him about Shepard and offered him a chance to fly again, all he could say was 'hell, yes!" Samantha asked him if he trusted the Illusive Man and Joker let out a sad laugh, "Well, I don't trust anybody who makes more money than me, but they're not all bad. Saved your life... and let me fly."

Shepard looked at the pilot, "And you don't question my being here at all?"

Joker laughed, "Sure, I question it, but I questioned you being dead too. A few of us...me, Garrus, and of course Liara. As far as we were concerned, no body, no proof. The Alliance just quit looking, and we all hated them for it."

The entire time he was filling her in on what happened while she was gone, he was slowly leading the way to a viewing platform. Once they got there, he stopped and hit a button. As the lights came up on the other side of the windows, Jeff said reverently, "And there's this. They only told me last night." Shepard stood in the hallway with her hands on her hips, looking into a large hangar. As the lights came up, they slowly revealed a beautiful sleek frigate. She was shaped like the Normandy SR-1, but much larger, almost twice the size, and painted in Cerberus black and yellow, but Samantha thought she looked beautiful. Shepard looked at Joker and he smiled, saying "It's good to be home, huh, Commander?"

Shepard let out a low whistle and said, "I guess we'll have to give her a name." Two days later, the Normandy SR-2 left the hangar on her maiden voyage headed for Omega. Samantha couldn't believe it; the Normandy was a beautiful ship, very similar to the SR-1, but its increased size allowed several upgrades. Miranda Lawson gave her the full tour. When they first came in through the airlock, they entered the Normandy on what was considered Deck 2. The SR-1 only had three decks, but the SR-2 had five. A huge cockpit was on her left; it was much more spacious than on the SR-1 and included a weapons station and co-pilot's chair. To the right was an elevated walkway with multiple recessed workstations running down each side of the ship. It was the work center of the SR-2. At the far end, Shepard could see the Combat Information Center, very similar to the CIC on the original Normandy, with a huge holographic representation of the ship and an interactive galactic navigation map. It all looked very familiar, just bigger with a lot more working room. The room itself was kind of shaped like an egg with the map area sitting in the wider end of the irregular oval, with additional navigation and operations stations continuing along the outside bulkheads. Other sections on Deck 2 included the armory and a research lab, as well as a briefing and communications room.

As Samantha stood at the end of the walkway surveying the room, Jacob Taylor walked up and welcomed her aboard the new Normandy, and introduced her to a unique feature of the new ship. The Enhanced Defense Intelligence, or Edi, was the ship's artificial intelligence; Shepard crossed her arms and stared at the projection in front of her. "Helmsmen aren't happy when someone takes control of the ship way from them. Especially Joker." In a rather sexy female voice, Edi informed the commander that she was restricted to electronic and cyber warfare suites and that she could observe and offer analysis and advice, nothing more. At no time was she able to interface with the ship's other systems. Shepard figured that might appease Joker, but she doubted it. There was also a new position in the CIC, filled by Yeoman Kelly Chambers. She was a personal assistant to the commander, completing various tasks from screening incoming messages to providing crew readiness evaluations. Shepard figured anybody who got some of the crap paperwork off her desk had to be worthwhile.

Lawson continued the tour, going all the way down to the bottom of the ship, Deck 5. There wasn't much to see; it was the hangar deck and the SR-2 was equipped with a standard Kodiak shuttle and a prototype hovercraft, the M-44 Hammerhead tank. Deck 4 included Engineering, and port and starboard cargo areas. The engineers were introduced as Kenneth Donnelly and Gabriella Daniels. Operative Lawson realized the introductions were all quick, but promised Shepard she'd have plenty of time to get to know the crew during transit toward Omega. Deck 3 included crew quarters, mess-hall, life support, medical bay, the AI core and The XO's office, as well as port and starboard observation lounges. The crew quarters were actually that; instead of rows of sleeping pods like the original Normandy, the crew had actual rooms and everything was civilian grade instead of military grade accommodations. Unlike the economy kitchen on the SR-1, there was a full kitchen, run by Mess Sergeant Gardner.

When Samantha walked into the Medical Bay, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Karin!" With three quick full strides, Shepard was across the room and grabbed a very surprised Karin Chakwas up into a hug. Samantha released the surprised doctor from the hug but still held her by the shoulders, saying "It is so good to see a familiar face...especially yours, Karin."

Karin smiled, and spoke very reservedly, working hard to contain her emotions, "Commander Shepard. I watched the Normandy crumble with you on board. I never thought I'd see this day!"

Shepard beamed, unable to believe Karin was on board. "Karin, I need to finish my inaugural tour, but I will be back and we'll talk. I promise you that!"

Karin gave her quick hug and told her, "I'll hold you to that, Commander!"

Shepard turned to Lawson to finish the tour. "All that's left is your quarters on Deck 1, Commander. Shall we?" Shepard was awestruck when she walked into the captain's quarters. The room was positively huge, with the left hand wall by the entryway being dominated by a huge fish tank. The tank's backlighting was a wonderful shade of blue that made her heart ache, thinking of a certain Asari she had yet to locate on Illium, Shadow Broker be damned. On the right was a spacious office with the obligatory computer terminals and a large see-through glass display, with a model of the Normandy inside. Cerberus must have known about her penchant for model collecting, though it just made her sad to know that her entire collection had been destroyed with the Normandy SR-1. There were also a number of empty bookshelves, also devoid of all her personal books; the office was just a sad reminder of days gone by. Besides the office, there was a full up bathroom with a sizeable shower, much more than the little cubbyhole on the old Normandy, so this one was definitely an upgrade.

As she walked further into the room, there was a short set of only three steps leading down to the main living space. A very nice leather sectional couch with a couple of lounge chairs and a central table dominated the space, with a small personal desk and a very empty queen bed. There was a small closet, with a personal armor locker, which was a nice touch. No need to change with the rest of the crew down in the general armory. At least she'd have some modicum of privacy from most of the Cerberus crew. She pulled up her omnitool to run a scanning program and stopped short. _This isn't my old omnitool. All my special programs are gone._ She turned to Operative Lawson and asked her point blank, "How many monitoring cameras are in this room?"

The operative was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean, Commander?"

Shepard looked at her, shaking her head. "You think I'm an idiot? I know you're going to monitor your 'experiment' so don't treat me like a fool. How many?"

Lawson shrugged. "Three cameras; one monitoring entry, one in the office and a wide angle facing the living room and the steps up. The bed and the bathroom are not monitored."

Shepard sighed. "Video only, or do they include sound?"

Operative Lawson shook her head. "There are separate audio receptors that cover the entire space...For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Commander, but I'm sure you understand the necessity. At least at the beginning. Perhaps later, we'll be able to cut back a bit."

Shepard just grumped, "Save it, Lawson. I get it. I'm a four billion credit lab rat. Surprise, surprise. Feel free to go do whatever it is you do. Thanks for the tour. I'm going to review the dossiers, then walk around and get to know the crew a bit. Give me a two-hour out call for Omega."

"As you wish, Shepard. But do try to get some sleep in there somewhere. Your body still needs to finish healing, since your recovery was so rudely interrupted by Dr Wilson."

After Lawson left, Shepard sat at her desk and pulled up the dossiers. The first she reviewed belonged to Mordin Solus, the Salarian scientist. He actually did sound pretty good, being both a biological weapons expert and a member of the STG, so Shepard committed herself to getting him on board. _Wonder if he knows Kirrahe, and what the heck is he doing running a clinic on Omega?_ She did a quick review of the other dossiers, and realized that two other potential crew in addition to Solus were also located at Omega; a mercenary and respected bounty hunter by the name of Zaeed Massani, and a small-unit mercenary commander, codename Archangel. _Christ, not even a real name? How the hell am I supposed to find him?_ Their dossiers were somewhat slim, but since she would be on Omega anyway, Shepard saw no reason to not check them out. None of the other current dossiers had any mention of Omega, so the commander decided to take her first crew-walk aboard the Normandy SR-2.

* * *

Immediately out of the elevator on Deck 2 was Yeoman Kelly Chambers. Shepard initially thought she was pleasant enough, and they actually looked a lot alike; Kelly could be her younger sister. Kelly's degree in psychology was an added bonus for completing the crew evaluations, but Shepard had her fill of psychological evaluations in her Alliance career and figured she'd steer clear of personal discussions with the Yeoman. Shepard was convinced any findings would go straight to TIM, and maybe make a stop with Operative Lawson along the way. No need to add fuel to the fire. Besides, the more they talked, the more Shepard thought either Kelly had a severe case of hero worship, or part of her unofficial duties were to get close to the commander; just how close was still up for debate. Either way, after speaking with Kelly, Shepard had the feeling that she needed to focus on keeping their relationship strictly professional. She normally liked to get one-on-one with her crew, but felt that would not be a wise path with the young Yeoman.

After shedding herself of Yeoman Chambers, Shepard headed to the bridge to chat with Joker. He was ecstatic with the new Normandy. The minute she stepped onto the bridge, he swiveled his chair around, exclaiming, "Can you believe this, Commander? It's my baby, better than new! It fits me like a glove! And leather seats!" He continued to rant on about how wonderful the new ship was until Edi spoke up. At that point, Jeff looked at the little blue pop-up hologram and said, "And there's the downside. I liked the Normandy when she was beautiful and quiet. Now she's got this thing I don't want to talk about. It's like ship cancer."

Shepard just shook her head. "Joker, it's Cerberus. What do you expect? We still need to move ahead with the mission and use their resources, but it doesn't mean we need to trust them. Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth closed. Oh, and Joker? A word of advice...if there's an abandon ship call on this Normandy, get your ass to the escape pod. I'm not staying behind for you a second time."

Joker looked at her for a second before responding. "Way to kill my mood, Shepard. Anyway... as far as Cerberus goes, you're probably right. I guess it's hard to argue when they install an AI to spy on us...but the seats are real leather!"

Shepard just looked at him before she left the Bridge, "Good to see you're keeping it all in perspective, Joker."

Though interested in eventually comparing the new Hammerhead to the Jiris she and Liara had on their private transport, Shepard saw no immediate reason to revisit the hangar deck, so headed down to Engineering. When she walked in, Engineer Donnelly turned around in amazement. "You came all the way down here just to see us?"

Before Shepard had any chance to respond, Engineer Daniels snapped a smart salute and exclaimed, "You're speaking to our commanding officer!"

Shepard laughed lightly and responded, "Relax, Daniels, I'm just touring the ship and getting to know my crew." It quickly became evident that Donnelly was much more laid back than Daniels and not very military oriented, so Shepard queried how they got assigned to the Normandy. She was surprised to find they were both prior Alliance, had graduated from the same engineering technical class, and had been stationed together on the SSV Perugia during the Battle of the Citadel. After the original Normandy was destroyed, Donnelly was very vocal about the Alliance attempts to discredit Shepard's belief in the Reapers and landed himself in hot water with the military; it also got him the invitation from the Illusive Man. While less vocal, Daniels held the same beliefs and liked working with Donnelly, so followed him to Cerberus. With the Normandy's state-of-the-art technology and Cerberus seeming to be the only organization taking continued action against the Reapers, they both thought it was a relatively easy decision. Before the commander left them, she asked if they were lacking anything they needed. The two engineers said they had everything, but Donnelly admitted their daily maintenance could be greatly reduced if they had some improved field bleed attenuators for the primary power transfer system array. Shepard raised her eyebrows and said, "Ok, you want to pass that by me again, in a form I can actually understand?" Engineer Daniels simplified it immensely, telling the commander they needed a pair of T6-FBA couplings, and Donnelly expanded on the issue, informing the commander that it was a discontinued item and would probably only be found in a used parts market like what they might find on Omega. Before she headed up to Deck 3, Shepard promised the two engineers she would look for the couplings while on station.

* * *

Deck 3 was actually a pretty nice living space for a frigate class vessel; it definitely showed the civilian touch for the included comforts. The starboard observation lounge had a small library and the portside lounge had a small entertainment center and a bar. On her way to visit Operative Lawson, Shepard spoke with the Mess Sergeant, and he seemed rather personable, if not just a little bit odd. As long as he could cook, Shepard didn't really care. When she asked if he needed anything, he actually coughed up a shopping list of ingredients that would greatly improve the quality of the meals he could provide. Shepard figured with the task they had set before them, coming back to a good meal was well worth the trouble of a shopping trip, so willingly added it to her list of things to do.

Miranda looked up as Shepard entered her office, closing down the terminal she was working on. "Commander. What can I do for you?"

They had a brief chat about the XO responsibilities aboard the Normandy, and Shepard mentioned the T6-FBA couplings. "And it's not just the couplings, Miranda. I want you to maintain an ongoing upgrade program. I want ideas from every new person we bring on board, any new technology we run across...if it has any application to the Normandy to improve weapons, armor, engine efficiency, whatever; I want it. Get the crew thinking...I want to bring the best damn ship we can bring to the fight with the Collectors."

Miranda nodded as she spoke, "I'll make a point of it, Commander. I think that's an excellent idea."

Once they were done talking business, Shepard asked Miranda about herself. The operative hadn't been very forthcoming when Shepard tried to speak to her before Freedom's Progress, but if they were going to be working together, the commander figured she had the right to know who she was working with. Surprisingly enough, Miranda agreed and gave her a quick rundown. "Well, you should probably know I've had extensive genetic modification. Not my decision, but I make the most of it; I'm very good at just about anything I choose to do."

At that comment, Shepard shifted her weight to one leg and crossed her arms over her chest. "You certainly don't lack for confidence."

Miranda stood up and placed a hand on her hip, continuing, "It's just a fact. My reflexes, my strength, even my looks...they're all designed to give me an edge. No point in hiding from it. It's the reason I'm trusted to oversee the most dangerous, risky and technically demanding operations Cerberus undertakes. It's why I'm here. It's my job to make sure you succeed, Shepard."

Shepard got very curious, "So, what kinds of enhanced abilities are we talking about, and how does it compare to what you did to me?"

Miranda took pride in her work, and was happy to explain. "It's very thorough, you even more so than me because your technology is newer, so it's even more advanced. Physically, we're superior in many ways; I already mentioned improved strength and reflexes, and you already know you have an alloy-enhanced skeletal system to improve your bone strength; it should greatly improve the effectiveness of your Vanguard-charge. Plus, we both heal faster and age slower than average humans, and our biotics are augmented, so while not up to Asari standards, still much stronger than normal human biotics."

Shepard uncrossed her arms and stood up straight, her complete focus on Miranda's statement. "In our line of work, healing fast is good, but can you define 'age slower than average humans' for me, please?"

Miranda shrugged and replied, "Certainly. I'll probably live half again as long as the average human, so instead of 150, I probably have a 225-year lifespan. You, I'm not exactly sure yet. Your technology has a ten-year jump on mine, and I'm sure you probably realize the kinds of improvements that can be made in a ten-year timeframe in the world of technology. A conservative estimate is probably 400 years, but the technology is untested, so we'll have to monitor the nanite effectiveness to get a more accurate estimate. I won't even guess at the potential until I have more data."

Miranda was so matter-of-fact, but Shepard was staggered by the statement. "You...wait...400? And that's conservative?"

"Yes, Commander. We'll have a better idea after a few missions; when you've put some stress on the nanites and we can get more complete data. Sorry, you seem a bit shocked...I should have anticipated that and delivered that news a bit more gently. I apologize. Are you alright, Commander?"

Shepard stared at Lawson for a couple of seconds before responding. "I...uh...yeah. I'll be fine. Just a bit to take in, is all." Shepard blinked a couple of times and ran her hand through her hair before she continued. "I'm sure I'll have more questions, but, um, that kind of blew me away, so I'll come back when I can think of 'em."

Miranda looked at her appraisingly, "Of course, Commander. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here to answer what I can."

Shepard started to leave the room but then turned one last time to the operative. "Oh, and Miranda...Thanks again. For bringing me back... and doing whatever it was you did." With that, Samantha left the room and headed to the med bay to see Karin.

Shepard walked into the med bay still reeling from the news. Karin sensed her disquiet and stood to meet her in the doorway, sounding concerned as she spoke, "Shepard? Are you alright?"

Shepard looked at Karin and started their conversation with "I think I need to sit down." She then went on to tell Karin about her conversation with Miranda. Karin listened very carefully to everything Shepard had to say, assuring the commander that she would speak to Operative Lawson and get a full medical profile to ensure she established appropriate treatment protocols for her obviously modified physiology. When they exhausted the topic, Shepard put a grin on her face and spoke to Karin as a friend, instead of her doctor. She asked her why she left the Alliance after all her years of service and how she ended up with Cerberus. Karin's answers weren't much different than what she'd heard from everyone else. The Alliance broke up the crew and Karin got a ground assignment. Shepard knew how much Karin loved working shipboard and how discontented she must have been at the Mars Naval Medical Center.

"You know me, Commander. I'm used to the hum of engines, the creaking of bulkheads, that subtle vertigo when the momentum dampeners kick in. Life planet-side is too static, too boring. But I didn't come here for Cerberus, Commander. I came here for you. I have faith that your dealings with Cerberus will be ethical. I trust you, Commander. And knowing your propensity for getting injured, how could I leave you in anyone else's hands?" Doc Chakwas laughed as she finished her explanation.

Shepard looked at the floor for a brief moment, before meeting Karin's eyes for her next question. "You laugh, Karin, but you must know there's a good chance this mission is a one-way trip. Are you ready for that?" Shepard's eyes were glassy as she contemplated the sacrifice her friend was apparently willing to make for her.

Karin answered earnestly, "Shepard. I've been through the reclaiming of Shanxi, the Skyllian Blitz...and we survived the Battle of the Citadel and the destruction of the Normandy together. I've lived a full life with no regrets. I'd like to be sure this crew gets the same opportunity."

Shepard sighed, "Thanks, Karin. Most of this crew has no idea how lucky they are to have you here. Is there anything you need? Anything to make your job easier?"

Karin smiled gently. "I believe I have everything I need. Feels a lot like my sick bay on the original Normandy...it's like coming home. The only thing missing are my private reserves. I even had a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy I was saving for a special occasion."

Shepard laughed. "And you didn't replace it before you came on board? Shame on you, Doctor! I'll keep an eye out for a replacement bottle... and maybe a few other things to add to the stock. Thanks for your time, Karin. I'll see you around."

After saying their goodbyes, Shepard retreated to her new cabin on Deck 1, or to 'the loft' as much of the crew referred to it. She stepped in the door, still amazed by the size and furnishings within the room, and made her way to the private terminal on her desk. There were a lot of messages stacked up, but a lot of them were information only on available weapons and armors, so they were a quick read. There were a couple that definitely caught her interest, particularly one from Anderson. He wanted her to go see him at the Citadel, so she made up her mind that would be their first stop after Omega. The other was information on the location of the Normandy crash on Alchera. _Like I need them to tell me where I died...I'm pretty sure that planet is marked indelibly in my brain, thank you very much! _ As she read on, she realized that identifying the location was just a weak introduction to a request for assistance. They wanted her to go and account for twenty crewmembers. Shepard couldn't believe her eyes; it had been two years, and the Alliance hadn't bothered to go to the crash site to account for their personnel. _What about 'leave no one behind'? _ Twenty crew members' families were still in the dark as to the final resting place of their loved ones. She planned on making that a priority topic when she spoke to Councilor Anderson. Shepard slammed the terminal closed and stood up in a rage. _What the fuck is going on in the Alliance?_ Blowing off the Reapers was bad enough; she could understand how they didn't want to face the possibility of the end of life, but ignoring the deaths of twenty Alliance personnel?

Shepard paced around her room, fuming in anger at the stupidity of the Alliance. She was putting together quite the list of grievances. They picked up the Normandy rescue pods, but apparently couldn't take the time to find her... but Cerberus somehow managed. She'd heard nothing but bad from prior Alliance personnel as to how they were treated after her death. They were apparently completely ignoring the threat that got her killed, and in two years time, they still hadn't managed to close out next of kin notifications after the crash. Shepard stopped in the middle of the room, put her hands on her hips, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Next of kin notifications.._. "Fuck!" She opened her eyes and headed back to the med bay; she'd been so rattled by Miranda's revelations, she'd not asked Karin most of the questions she'd intended.

After listening to the commander's rants and questions, Karin was very straightforward. "I'm sorry, Commander, but I don't know what to say. You now understand the frustration and why so many of the crew went their own way. None of us were happy with the aftermath. My only regret is that I did not keep in touch with Liara. I wish I knew the answers to your questions in that regard...I can see how frustrating it must be for you. I know you'll take us to Illium as soon as the mission allows. I can help you with your mother, though, I've kept in frequent contact with her. She's between ships, moving from the Kilimanjaro to become the Captain on the flagship of the Fifth Fleet, the Orizaba. It's a great promotion and good move for her. If you send a message there, I'm sure they'll hold it for her."

Shepard thanked Karin for her time and headed back to her cabin once more, this time going to the personal terminal near the bed. She sat down and drafted a very short note to her mother, sure it would get reviewed, and maybe not even be sent, but she did it anyway.

_Mom,_

_Wish I could say more, but I'm not sure as to classification protocols on this one. Just know I'm alive and kicking, in good health and have Karin to take care of me. I plan on being on the Citadel soon. I'll give you a date as soon as I get one, hoping to meet you there. For everything you've gone through the last two years...sorry just doesn't cut it, but I don't know what else to say here. Heard about the Orizaba... Congrats! Love you. Don't know if a reply will get through, but feel free to try._

_Keep the Faith!_

_Sam_

* * *

Shepard wished she could do the same with Liara, but there was too much to say, and Liara wouldn't understand such brevity and could possibly take it the wrong way. Besides, Cerberus had no rights to that conversation and Shepard had to figure out some other way to communicate with her bondmate. As she stretched out on the bed she realized there was a huge view portal in the ceiling that allowed her to see outside the ship as it traversed the galaxy. She spent a large portion of her first night on the Normandy SR-2 watching the stars go by. Feeling like the goal of rejoining the Alliance was slipping farther away and having to endure the frustration of being unable to contact her love and anchor, sleep was a long time coming.


	2. What Goes Around

The new bartender at Eternity, the casual bar on Illium, knew something had changed, but couldn't confirm what. Sha'ira had made her scheduled visit and Liara had seemed in a better mood in the weeks following. Aethyta had bugged Liara's office and her primary terminal, so she knew the personal crusade against Captain Mikhailovich had finally bore fruit. Aethyta was proud of her girl; instead of having the woman killed, Liara had actually turned the evidence over to the Alliance and they had initiated an investigation, forcing the woman to retire at the reduced rank of Commander. Aethyta had sighed when she'd heard the announcement and was glad Liara was content with the results. _I would have killed the bitch and not thought twice about it._ Liara was a better person than that, and Aethyta was proud to be her father. But the fact that the Captain lost her lifelong career was not near enough to explain Liara's extreme change of mood.

As usual, Liara had worked late the night prior. Unusual was that she received a call from one of her prior shipmates, the Quarian, Tali'Zorah. Tali had been vague, Liara had promised to call from home, and immediately closed up the office and left, obviously to finish the conversation from her secure home network. Aethyta had not yet been able to bug the home systems. It was Nezzie's old apartment, but Liara had put three overlapping layers of encryption on the damn door lock, and Aethyta had yet to crack the new codes. All Aethyta knew was that the next morning when Liara walked into work, she positively glowed. Her voice carried a tone Aethyta had never heard and she knew exactly what it meant. Liara was incredibly happy and given the current state of affairs, there was only one thing in the galaxy that could cause it. Aethyta was sure Liara had gotten word that Shepard was alive, but she had no proof. It was great news, but 'My girl is walking on air and happier than I've ever seen her' was not exactly material for a report to the councilor. At the moment, it was all Aethyta had and for her, it was enough.

* * *

Archangel sat in the crow's nest with his sniper rifle, picking off mercenary fodder like there would be no tomorrow. Of course, if this kept up too much longer, that could actually become a very distinct possibility. Who knew he'd piss them off so bad that all three main mercenary groups on Omega would actually team up to take him down; it was unprecedented! Those groups never cooperated. Archangel sighed, "Guess I should never say never" as he contemplated just how he got into this mess. He had been angry and frustrated; disgusted with recent turns in his life when he saw that damn Vorcha mugging an elderly human couple. He stepped in and stopped it and the old woman had called him a 'real-life angel.' Later that evening, he was at a bar called Afterlife, telling his story, when he ran into a couple of similar minded folk who were also tired of less savory characters taking advantage of the defenseless and they decided to do something about it. Because of the elderly woman's comment, he decided to call himself 'Archangel' and it wasn't long before others were drawn to the cause and their squad soon numbered an even dozen.

The squad declared war on Omega's criminal elements, and a place like Omega certainly had no shortage. As long as they didn't impact any of Aria T'Loak's business transactions, the Pirate Queen could care less, so they were careful to stay off her radar. The squad was well rounded, with snipers, tech experts, a couple of biotics and a variety of skilled former mercenaries, including a Salarian explosives expert. There was practically no job they weren't willing to tackle, and they even picked up some special high paying security and escort jobs that earned them quite a few credits. They were doing so well that some members of the squad had actually started talking about settling down and living good with their portion of the profits. Then they got word that their team was in the crosshairs; they had made such a name for themselves the three main gangs on Omega, the Blue Suns, the Blood Pack and Eclipse, had all decided to work together to take the vigilante group down.

Somewhere along the way during the course of the Omega gangs' retaliatory strikes, Archangel's second in command, a Turian named Lantar Sidonis, was captured and forced to lay a trap for the squad. Sidonis was coerced to provide Archangel a false lead on a Blood Pack gun running operation, and while Archangel was gone checking it out, a combined gang team bombed the squad's hideout and then gunned down anyone who survived the blast. By the time Archangel returned, ten members of the squad were dead and Sidonis was nowhere to be found. The gangs pursued Archangel, intent on finishing off the squad completely. Archangel finally found a good defensible position with only one readily available way in and out and decided to make his last stand, hoping the gangs got tired of dying in the chokepoint before he ran out of thermal clips. So, there he sat in the crow's nest with his sniper rifle, wondering just how much longer he was going to last when he spotted a familiar splash of auburn hair through his scope. _Well I'll be damned. My odds just got a whole lot better._

* * *

After she hung up with Tali, Liara felt Riana's steadying hands on her shoulders. She carefully pushed the chair back and stood to face the stalwart commando, realizing her face was bright with joy at Liara's welcome news. Liara just closed her eyes and shook her head while she and Riana clasped each other's forearms. Liara spoke very softly. "Riana. You are always here when I need you. You have been a pillar of support, a good friend to me in my darkest hours. I am glad you were here to share the happy news as well, but I must beg for your discretion." Liara opened her eyes and looked at Riana for understanding as she continued. "Please. Tell no one of this until I sort things out with Shepard. You heard what the Seer told me, but until I am sure... Until I actually speak to Shepard and truly know in my heart, this cannot go beyond the two of us. I cannot bear the questions people would ask during my uncertainty."

Riana nodded but did not break eye contact. Her eyes blazed with unwavering devotion as she spoke, "I understand, Mistress. I will not break your confidence, but I must tell you... neither will I bear your self-doubts, nor any doubts of Shepard's love for you. I fully believe in the truth of the Seer's vision and will do what is necessary to defend it." Liara had no words that could express her emotions, so gently squeezed Riana's arms in thanks before releasing her and sitting back down at the terminal. Liara couldn't even think of sleep, so she spent some time sending messages. She did not notice when Riana drifted back to her room to bed.

Liara's first note was to Hannah, apologizing profusely for not staying in better contact, but that she had important news to pass on that could not be done over the message system. She hoped that Hannah would somehow find her way to Illium in the near future; otherwise Liara would just have to figure out how to get a message to her, perhaps via private courier. The only thing she could confirm was that they must absolutely communicate in some manner and that she preferred it be in person.

Liara also sent a quick message off to Armali. Liara had only kept two things from Alchera with her, the dog tags and Shepard's journal; everything else had remained in Armali. She asked Matriarch Mozia to ship all the storage crates with Shepard's personal belongings from the Normandy to the apartment on Illium. Liara wrote that she wanted to put some of the armor and accessories into the apartment display cases, and then determine the disposition of the remaining items, stating it was time to clean house and move onto the next stage of her life.

* * *

Hannah was sitting on a beach in Rio enjoying the last few days of her leave period between assignments when her omnitool chimed. Glancing at it, she suddenly bolted upright and opened the message. _Liara! It's about damn time, girl! Where the hell have you been? _ So many questions ran through her head and only one of them got an answer as she read through the extremely vague message. She typed an extremely short reply that was not nearly as ambiguous. '_On Earth, on leave, between assignments...will try to be on Illium tomorrow evening. See you soon. Love!' _Hannah stood up, picked up her belongings and returned to her visiting officer's quarters at Vita Militar to pack and arrange for shuttle transport. She had been staring at the surf, reminiscing about visiting 'The Villa' while Samantha had been in Rio de Janeiro going through her N-School training at the Interplanetary Combatives Academy. Sam had always loved the sounds of a night beach; the quiet calls of night birds and the soft sound of a gentle surf on the shore. Hannah's tranquil thoughts were interrupted by fears of what was so important that Liara had broken her self-imposed exile to contact her. The Asari hadn't even attended Samantha's memorial service. All Hannah could think was that Liara had discovered something about the Reapers or found some information on the colonial disappearances in the Terminus. _God, I hope those two thoughts aren't connected!_ Hannah suddenly found herself packing with a bit more urgency, eager to see Liara and yet...not.

* * *

Matriarch Aethyta was sound asleep when the insistent chiming of her omnitool woke her. She was going to ignore it until she realized it was Mozia. She cursed under her breath and hit the accept key. "What the hell you want, Mozia? You know how early it is here?"

Mozia laughed, "Thyta. It's 10AM. That's not exactly early."

Aethyta growled. "It is when I work a bar job that doesn't end until three and because of 'other assigned duties' I didn't get to bed until nine... Shit! I'm too old for this. What's up?"

"Sorry, dearest. I honestly did forget about your odd hours, but I think this is important." Mozia then went on to explain the unexpected request she had received from Liara. "Do you think this is delayed fallout from Sha'ira's visit, or has something happened there?"

Aethyta sat up...things were starting to come together, so she explained to Mozia what little she knew about the call from Tali'Zorah and Liara's subsequent reaction. "I guessed she'd heard something about Shepard, but had nothing to confirm it. The girl's good at keeping secrets... This, however...this certainly puts a positive spin on things. Pretty sure we can say Shepard is alive and kickin' and Liara is preparing to return her stuff to her. I'll try to find out if she's making any travel plans."

Mozia agreed with Aethyta's assessment and said she'd pass on their suspicions to Tevos. "I'll send one of the commandos to deliver the personal effects, and see if they can find anything out while they are on Illium. I'm sure she'll have a need to quench her thirst while visiting. You can exchange updated information then. Thanks for your time, Thyta. Get some more sleep, dear."

Aethyta grumbled, "Like I can sleep now, with all this shit running through my head? Gonna be a long day if I don't, though... Thanks, Mozia." Matriarch Mozia was laughing as she signed off.

* * *

Back in her office the next day, Liara caught herself humming as she went through her data feeds. She felt better than she had in a long time, with good reason, but was a bit apprehensive about meeting Hannah again after such a long silence. Liara could imagine nothing but the woman being very angry with her for disappearing after Shepard's 'death.' Her good mood vanished as she contemplated just how she was going to explain everything. Her thoughts were interrupted by a chirp of her omnitool indicating a message from Riana. Hannah's shuttle would be arriving at 8PM...along with an 'accompanied' shipment from Armali. Liara sat back in her chair; that was...unexpected. She had given no indication to Matriarch Mozia that she wanted or needed express shipment of the articles, nor that they needed to be hand delivered by one of the commandos! Liara typed a quick message to both Riana and Judea and explained that she needed private time with Captain Shepard, so Judea and their unexpected visitor would bunk on the Aletheia for the night while Riana escorted the Captain and the cargo to the apartment. Liara added a note for Judea. _'Feel free to take Huntress Shasia out for food and drink at Eternity and see if you can find out the real reason she is here. Brokerage expense account. Have a good time...'_

With everything going on, Liara almost overlooked a short note from one of her better Salarian information agents. He had used one of the heavily classified encryptions, and even once decrypted, the message was still not plain text. It contained a separate code word to indicate the existence of a Shadow Broker agent on Illium. The open text following indicated the Broker agent was simply known as the Observer. For the Salarian to use triple safeguards, he must believe their message system to be compromised. Liara very carefully manually transcribed all the decrypted data to an unlinked data pad, ensuring none of the text she typed would compromise either of the encryption or decryption algorithms used. Once completed and triple-checked, Liara deleted the original message and ran the scrubber program. Having a direct agent on Illium was bad, but it also provided an extraordinary opportunity. The Observer was no intermediary; there was no extra level of protection. If Liara could identify this agent, it would be the most direct link to the Shadow Broker she will have found since the start of her hunt.

Liara called Nyxeris into her office, informed her of the new information and handed her the datapad. "Please put your talents to use to track down some leads on this. To have a Shadow Broker agent so close is not good, so consider this your top priority. We must be extra vigilant until we have identified the threat. Please be careful, and as I know you can be, certainly be discrete." After her assistant had read through the data pad, Liara made sure she had no questions on the task and sent her on her way. As soon as Nyxeris left the office, Liara locked the door and pulled up her detection program on her omnitool, putting it to work scanning the office. It would be time consuming, but with a local agent in the immediate vicinity, Liara added it on her personal task list to accomplish a scan every three days. This was a very special program, designed specifically for her by Tali, and Liara trusted no one else with the precise coding the program contained; it was exceptionally thorough. By the time it was done, Liara had discovered every one of her office terminals had been bugged, plus there was an audio capture device planted on an upper corner of one of the windows, virtually invisible to the naked eye. Every one of them transmitted through a random multi-hop program, and every time the back-trace program got to the third node, the nodes self-destructed, terminating the trace. Whoever had done this was a professional...but Tali was better.

Across Illium in the residential section an omnitool chirped. Chirped again. Chirped again. Chirped a fourth time and fell silent. A bleary-eyed Matriarch squinted at the messages and sat up in her bed. "Fuck!" All three terminal taps and her audio device had been discovered, traced and burned. Aethyta fell back onto her bed; she was back to ground zero on monitoring that damned illusive Liara T'Soni. That girl was, at the very least, as smart as her mother, and she was also starting to be a pain in the ass.

* * *

Morning came early for Shepard, her night's rest too short after spending most of the night wondering what stars Liara was looking at. When she did finally find sleep, it was disturbed by dreams of being unable to breathe in the black expanse of space. Sometimes she was able to redirect her thoughts to the Thessia beach, but last night was not one of those times. She groaned as she rolled to the side of the bed and dropped her legs over the side, slapping at her omnitool to make the alarm shut up. She got up and dressed, not even caring if Miranda was watching. She wished she knew the exact camera placement just so she could stare at it in an attempt to make Miranda uncomfortable with the intrusion while she dressed. Instead, she just faced the wall and tried to ignore the world. She put on her armor and headed down to the mess, saying hello to Gardner and grabbing something that resembled scrambled eggs and bacon and a large cup of coffee. Taking a large swig, Shepard immediately spewed it out over the table she was sitting at. "Ahhhg! What is this?" she yelled.

Mess Sergeant Gardner laughed, "That's black Pekoe tea, ma'am."

Shepard practically threw the cup at him. "Tell me you actually have coffee on this God forsaken boat!" Gardner pointed at a hot water dispenser and instant coffee packs. Shepard stood up and glared at him. "If you want to survive more than the next 48 hours, we will find a brew pot and coffee somewhere on Omega and it will be on this ship before we depart the station. I don't care how much it costs, but I am NOT drinking instant coffee. Ever. Am I being perfectly clear, Mess Sergeant?"

Gardner dropped what he was doing and stood at attention, shouting, "Ma'am, yes Ma'am!" Everyone around the table who hadn't gotten tea spit all over them sniggered, but stopped as soon as the commander's glare swept the table. Suddenly not wanting to eat with the group, Shepard dumped her entire plate into the trash disposal, grabbed a few packs of battle rations, and stomped to the elevator to head to the armory.

Miranda and Jacob were already there prepping weapons, and fell silent when Shepard entered the room. Sensing her foul mood, Miranda ventured forth with a question, "Everything ok, Shepard?"

Shepard glared at her. "No. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and this stupid ship has an AI and leather seats but ya'all couldn't install a real coffee pot?" Shepard grabbed an Eviscerator shotgun, a Locust submachine gun, and a Phalanx heavy pistol, docked them on the hardpoints on her armor and grabbed as many thermal clips as she had storage for. Saying, "Let's get this done," she immediately headed for the airlock as Miranda and Jacob scrambled to dock their weapons and catch up.

As soon as they entered Omega station, a jittery Salarian showed up welcoming them to Omega. He hadn't gotten very far in his introduction when a Batarian showed up and chased him off. The Batarian, named Moklan looked the group over and then faced the commander. "Blasted scavengers. Welcome to Omega...Shepard."

The commander just looked at him and queried, "You know who I am?"

Moklan shrugged his shoulders and answered almost dismissively, "Of course. We had you tagged the moment you entered the Terminus Systems. You're not as subtle as you think." He was basically just a message boy, sent by Aria because she wanted to see the 'dead' Spectre. Shepard waved him off, and figured she'd get around to Aria eventually, but she had some things to accomplish first. The passageway from the docks to Omega proper was actually pretty quiet, so Shepard took advantage of it to dole out orders. She sent Jacob down to the shopping district to get any mods and upgrades he could find and told him specifically to find a pair of the T6-FBA couplings, coffee and a brew pot. Edi transmitted over the comm that there was a quarantine warning in the slums where Dr Solus ran his clinic and to anticipate resistance at the transport station because the area was locked down. She then added information about a mercenary recruiting station in Afterlife that was looking for volunteers to go after Archangel.

Shepard stopped and looked at Miranda. "Looks like we'll go see Aria after all. Probably need her permission to go into the quarantine zone, and the recruiter is in her bar, so I imagine she'd be a bit pissed if we walked into the joint and then ignored the queen."

Miranda nodded in agreement. "I agree, Commander. However, before we go anywhere, that mercenary right at the end of the hall bears a striking resemblance to the dossier photo of Zaeed Massani. Shepard glanced down to where Miranda had pointed and saw a merc beating the crap out of a Batarian.

As she approached, the Batarian begged for help. Zaeed backhanded him, saying, "No one said you could talk, jackass!" It didn't take much time to establish that the Batarian was a bounty, and Zaeed was a no bullshit kind of guy who knew his business and knew how to handle himself. What TIM had neglected to put in the dossier was that Zaeed had accepted another mission before signing with the Normandy, to deal with some Blue Suns who had taken over a refinery. Shepard agreed that if it was part of the deal, she'd make it happen as soon as there was a break in the mission schedule, but couldn't guarantee when it would be. Zaeed shook her hand and agreed, but pressed that he preferred it be sooner rather than later.

Shepard spoke plainly, "We'll get to it when we get to it, Zaeed. Can't promise you anything else. Now, turn that bounty in and meet me in front of Afterlife. While you're doing that, I've got to talk to Aria." With that, Shepard and Miranda walked into Omega proper. When they walked in the door, Shepard wasn't sure what was worse, the noise or the smell. At least Afterlife was easy to find, as it was direct in front of the dock entrance. Shepard guessed Aria wanted her 'guests' to not have any excuse for not finding her right away. There was a waiting line to get in the door, but the commander blew it off; after all, the Queen had summoned her.

The doors to Afterlife opened and Shepard was transported to another world. Inside was loud music with a throbbing beat, and multiple exotic Asari dancers were working their own rhythms, either on a pole or private table dances. Shepard instantly understood where all the misconceptions about Asari sexual promiscuity came from; places like this. Shepard passed a bar, then stopped and backed up, asking the bartender if they just happened to carry Serrice Ice Brandy. They did, so Sam paid for a couple bottles to be delivered to Dr Chakwas aboard the Normandy. They then proceeded to the back of the room; as soon as Shepard had walked in she had noticed the elevated viewing platform at the rear of the club. She was sure the Queen's throne was up there, with a commanding view of the entire establishment. As she came up the last set of stairs and saw a sole Asari standing alone, she knew it was Aria. Her assumption was confirmed when the Asari spoke. "That's close enough."

Aria's guards all drew weapons, but Shepard just looked at them all with disdain, doing nothing. After a few tense seconds, the smallest nod of Aria's head made them all stand down and one of them directed Shepard to stand still so he could scan her. As he waved a scanner in her face, Shepard grabbed the front of the collar on his armor, pulling him close. "Try it, and you'll be scanning the inside of your colon."

Aria laughed quietly as she said, "I'd almost pay to see that." Then her voice got serious again as she finished, "But it's not an option. You want to talk, you get scanned. Can't be too careful with dead Spectres. That could be anyone wearing your face."

Shepard pointed at Aria and said, "I was told you were the person to talk to if I had questions." At that, Aria turned around. She had very distinct facial tattoos, and Shepard thought she was actually very attractive, and not just physically. She held an aura of power that had been earned over centuries of experience, a stark contrast to Liara's tranquil beauty. Where Liara's aura spoke of serene empathy, Aria's spoke of controlled rage; they could not be more polar opposites. Shepard snorted to herself, thinking the last thing she needed in her life was more rage.

Aria invited Shepard to sit, which she did, and after Aria highlighted Shepard's miniscule import in Aria's domain, they engaged in conversation about Solus and Archangel. Because the team figured they'd make more than a few enemies while retrieving Archangel, they decided to save him for last so they could beat a hasty retreat should the need arise. That meant they were headed after Solus in the quarantine zone first. Being a space station, each of Omega's outer zones was self-contained to prevent catastrophic failure in the event of a breech; it also made it extremely easy to close any section off, whenever necessary. Aria's quarantine procedures were tight as a drum, so the team was forced to go through the standard entry gates between zones. Once they arrived, they found a Turian guard at the door that required a bit of convincing, but he did provide a bit of information in the process. He confirmed Shepard's suspicions that Mordin was more that a doctor. He had apparently wreaked havoc among the Blue Suns, so he was not just a member of the Salarian STG in name; he could take care of himself quite well. Openly displaying the team's various weapons, Shepard easily convinced the Turian door guard they were well prepared to take on a few mercs, stating, "What you need is to get this problem solved right now. That's what we do...solve problems. Let us in, and we'll get this district straightened out." The large number of shotguns, assault rifles, SMGs and heavy pistols distributed amongst only three people, along with the blue trails of biotic power rolling off the two women's fingertips sold the guard, so he radioed ahead and told the second layer of security they had some 'problem solvers' headed their way, into the zone.

Shepard, Lawson and Massani walked through the door and entered into a war zone. As gangs competed for territory, the plague was the least of their worries. Immediately inside the door were two Blue Suns which Shepard took out with ease. She pulled up her biotics and charged into the first, then blasted the second with her shotgun at short range before turning back to finish off the first one she crashed into with her charge. There was a sick Batarian sitting on the floor, showing initial symptoms of the plague, and after convincing him she was there to help, he had some information on the Clinic. He couldn't get there because of all the gang activity in between so Shepard promised to send help back once she cleared the path; then the team pressed on. They moved through a residential district, and it was evident the Blue Suns were raiding empty rooms, and locking in plague victims so they couldn't spread the disease. It was a cruel way to die and they were given no chance to get to Mordin's clinic. Shepard decided she didn't much like the Blue Suns, and Zaeed's mission was looking more enticing by the minute.

After penetrating the next Blue Suns barricade they ran across, the team stumbled upon a human couple hiding out. They had some insight into the plague; even though Human's were being blamed for the plague, it was the Vorcha who were profiting. They were moving into Blue Suns' territory as the Blue Suns became too weak to defend it. Vorcha weren't smart enough to create the plague, but they could certainly be the agents responsible for spreading it. It also gave the team a heads-up that the closer they got to the clinic, the more Vorcha they would be seeing, instead of the Blue Suns like they had been running into. Shepard couldn't stand Vorcha. They were the vermin of the galaxy; nothing but bipedal rats with big teeth and a nasty disposition. Even on their home world, they had no global government; it was a mess of competing clan chiefs and riddled with tribal warfare. They were formidable adversaries though, with a natural aggressive disposition, disease resistance and regenerative capabilities.

They did run into one group of Blood Pack before they reached the clinic, with Vorcha, a couple of Krogan and some varren, but found the clinic quickly after blasting their way through the relatively small group. Once they got to the clinic, Mordin was a piece of work; his mouth ran a mile a minute, and he talked to himself constantly. Actually he didn't really talk to himself, it was more of an out loud thought process. Shepard wasn't sure if it helped Mordin think or if he just liked to hear himself speak. She walked up and interrupted his soliloquy by saying his name. He immediately scanned her and started rattling, "Hmm. Don't recognize you from area. Too well-armed to be refugees. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect. Here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clean them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom, not a cause. The plague? Investigating possible use as bio-weapon? No. Too many guns, not enough data equipment. Soldiers, not scientists. Yes, yes. Hired guns, maybe? Looking for someone? Yes! But who? Someone important. Valuable. Someone with secrets. Someone like me."

Shepard had no idea how long he would have continued, so she finally broke his discourse simply by interrupting him. "For the love of God, Mordin, take a breath. I'm Commander Shepard, and I came here to find you. I'm on a critical mission, and I need your expertise."

Mordin took off again, "Mission? What mission? No. No, no, no. Too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?"

"Ever heard of an organization called Cerberus?" When Shepard asked, Mordin's entire demeanor changed; he definitely recognized the name.

When he responded, his tone changed and became lower, more serious, more deliberate. "Crossed paths on occasion. Thought they only worked with Humans. Why request Salarian aid?"

Shepard answered directly, "I'm on a mission to shut down the Collectors, and I need your help."

Mordin dropped back into thinking aloud mode; his hand placed contemplatively on his chin while he considered the possibilities. "Collectors? Interesting. Plague hitting these slums is engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology to design it. Our goals may be similar. But must stop plague first. Already have a cure. Need to distribute it at environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them."

Shepard was deadly serious when she responded. "I can take care of the Vorcha and distribute the cure. If I get it done, can you come with me?"

Mordin agreed; then mentioned his assistant Daniel had gone out to distribute the cure and not come back and asked Shepard to keep an eye out for him. In return, Shepard mentioned the sick Batarian out near the entrance, and the human couple that should be straggling in any time. Shepard quickly headed the team out the door to find the environmental control center and hopefully find Daniel somewhere along the way. As they came out into a main foyer, they ran into a huge group of Blood Pack. The group had a number of Krogan and Vorcha carrying flame throwers so Shepard concentrated on them first. She took a couple of serious shots from one Krogan who closed a lot faster than she anticipated, and had to rely on Miranda to cover her ass. It made Shepard realize how much she missed her old team, not necessarily because they were better fighters, but because they had worked together for so long they had established a battle rhythm. This new group lacked experience fighting together, and didn't know yet how to take advantage of each other's strengths. They finally polished the group off, and climbed the stairs they were guarding.

As they reached the top, there were two doors. Door number one revealed three Batarians holding Mordin's assistant Daniel at gunpoint. The Batarians were not pleased, convinced that Humans started the plague and Daniel was in the process of spreading it. Shepard scoffed, "I know you're scared. Of the Vorcha. Of the plague. But this man isn't to blame. If he was spreading the plague, why would he come into Vorcha territory? They're immune." Fortunately, the Batarians were not infected by the plague and still had their full mental faculties, so they saw the logic. Once Shepard promised them free and safe passage, they released their victim and quickly vacated the area. Shepard promptly told the young medic to get his ass back to the clinic; that Mordin needed his help and Daniel had no business being out here without weapons training, at least enough to defend himself. Once he was safely on his way, the team continued on theirs.

Stepping through the next doorway devolved into a protracted hallway by hallway fight, and the team found themselves facing numerous Vorcha, some with rocket launchers, and a Krogan. When they finally battled their way into the Environmental control room, a Blood Pack Vorcha ran out yelling, "You no come here. We shut down machines, break fans! Everyone choke and die! Collectors want plague! Then Collectors make us strong!" Shepard realized Mordin was right when he theorized the Collectors had designed the plague, she just didn't understand why. Not that it mattered at the moment. What did matter was killing the Vorcha so they could get the fans turned back on and the cure distributed via the air circulation system. Shepard started firing, and Zaeed and Miranda quickly followed suit. Knowing how close they were to completing the mission, Shepard let loose. Her mind flashed back to Eden Prime, when their team was getting close to being overwhelmed and she played ping pong with the husks. She swapped her shotgun for her heavy pistol for the faster fire rate and, once again, she called on her biotic charge and started flying.

It was the first time she really pushed her biotics since her Cerberus augmentation, and the speed at which she was able to recharge and move again was astounding. The Blood Pack never really stood much of a chance. The Vorcha were relatively easy, but even the Krogan had difficulty believing that a puny squishy human could slam into them like a freight train and then finish them off with a pistol shot to their exposed throat. At some point during the fight, Shepard felt something rake across her hip, but being in the middle of a melee with Krogan, she didn't exactly have time to stop and think about it. After the series of repeated charges, pistol whips and biotic explosions, the room fell deathly quiet. Shepard squatted in the middle of the room, down on one knee, head hanging while trying to catch her breath, on the verge of trembling with exhaustion and thanks to her armor's auto-application of medigel, forgetting all about her hip. Zaeed emerged from cover and spoke with a bit of awe in his voice. "Jesus Fucking Christ, Shepard. In all my years as a merc, I've never seen anything like that."

Shepard chuckled softly, as loudly as her lack of breath would allow. "Not the first time I've heard that, Zaeed. Welcome to the Normandy, the land of misfit warriors." She finally took a deep breath and stood up.

The minute she was on her feet, Miranda came rampaging over, "Shepard! Are you bloody suicidal? What the hell were you thinking? You could have been killed!" Shepard would have laughed, but as she turned to Miranda, she noticed the look on her face was deadly serious. She was getting ready to make some retort when Miranda's face went white. "Oh, God. You've been injured. We need to get you back to the Normandy!" At Shepard's questioning gaze, Miranda blurted out, "Your side, Shepard! Can you not feel that?"

Shepard looked down and saw a huge gash on her right side, starting just below her ribcage and flowing down across her hip. "Hmm. That's gonna leave a mark. Guess we'd better adjust the pain sensors and medigel application system in the armor; settings must be off. Come on, let's head to the clinic and get Mordin. Then we head to the Normandy." Miranda just shook her head in bewilderment as she silently watched Shepard turn and walk away.

When they walked in, Mordin started rattling on again, "Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients improving. Vorcha retreating. Well done, Shepard. Thank you." He turned to face her and stopped in his tracks. "Hmm. Sustained injury. Blood loss likely problematic. Will require stitching. Do you desire treatment, Commander?"

Shepard looked at Mordin and declined. "Thanks, Mordin, but no...just throw a quick patch on it and I'll head back to the Normandy. You ready to help us stop the Collectors?"

"Yes, Unexpected to be working with Cerberus. Many surprises. Just need to finish up here, make sure things ready for Daniel to take over clinic. Won't take long. Meet you at your ship. Looking forward to it."

Shepard closed out the conversation, "No hurry. We're docked for a rest period, and then we have more work on station. You have at least six hours. If I'm not available when you arrive, Jacob Taylor can show you to your lab and I'll catch up to you later."

When Shepard got back to the Normandy, she went straight to the med bay. Karin glanced up as soon as she walked in. "I told you not to worry about the brandy, Commander. So instead, you deliver not only one bottle, but two?"

Shepard smiled. "Told you I would. The first one was to fulfill my promise, the second is payment."

Karen quirked an eyebrow questioningly. "Payment, Commander?"

Shepard shed her armor and plopped herself up on an exam table. "Yeah... for this...and a few more I'm sure are headed your way in the future." Shepard waved her hand at her right side as she pulled up her compression shirt and tugged Mordin's temporary bandage off. "I figure keeping you happy might spare me a tongue lashing or two."

As she stood up, Karin smiled and shook her head, saying "Good luck with that, Commander!"

Karin walked over and looked at the torn flesh. She actually laughed, "Well, it's nice to know that some things just never change now, do they, Shepard?" Karin pushed her back on the table and connected a sedative drip. Miranda informed her a standard sedative would be processed too quickly by the commander's system, and she would wake up before Karin was able to complete her work; thus, she required an initial standard dose, plus a continual drip for the duration. The commander would awaken relatively quickly once the drip was discontinued. "Good night, Commander. See you in a couple of hours." Last thing Shepard saw before she fell asleep was Karin, still shaking her head and smiling.


	3. Completing the Circle

Liara ran the detection program one last time and the office came up clean. Satisfied, she opened her newly scrubbed terminals and returned to the data feeds. One of her queries flagged 'Shepard' came back and Liara opened it immediately. It was a video feed from Omega and Liara's heart started to beat a little faster as she queued the video to play. As the video moved forward, Liara watched as a familiar figure emerged into the picture from the Omega docks. Liara reached down and paused the feed and her hand fluttered forward, desiring to reach through the feed to touch the object of her affection as her fingers traced Shepard's outline on the screen in front of her. _By the Goddess, that's really her. The hair, the armor... even the way she walks is the same. _Liara stared at the screen until the tears in her eyes made it too blurry to see. She wiped her eyes clear in frustration and let the video resume. There were a number of different segments, at various points in the station, and the security footage from the Environmental Control Center erased any lingering doubts in Liara's mind. There was no one else in the galaxy who fought like that; the lightening biotic charge with reckless abandon, just to dash again in some unexpected direction before anyone could get a hand on her.

Liara's breath caught when she watched the commander charge the Krogan. _Goddess, Shepard! In all the battles we fought, how many times did you scare me to death doing that? _ Liara flashed back to the day she met Shepard and the charge up the ramp out of the volcano... straight into the shotgun of the waiting Krogan Battlemaster. Liara's expression softened, remembering how Shepard protected her, even then, when all that had passed between them was a single spark the first time their eyes had met. She shook her head and brought her attention back to the data feed, watching every second of footage, reveling in the masterful warrior that was Commander Shepard, returned to her from the dead. Liara breathed a sigh of relief when Shepard stood back up at the end of her biotic rampage. The last segment of footage was Shepard back at the dock, this time facing the camera as she walked by. Liara assumed they were on their way back to the Normandy, and she suddenly felt a huge pang of guilt for not being by Shepard's side as she caught a hint of a limp in the Commander's gait. She backed it up and watched it again, then enhanced the footage. She finally found what she was looking for...the Commander had a huge gash in her armor on her right side, and blood spatter ran down her right leg. It was hard to pick up against the dark shadows on the footage but it was definitely there. Liara did not see any indication of when Sam received the wound during the fight, but she had definitely not walked away unscathed. Once again, Liara's hand crept forward and she caressed the screen as her voice, etched with concern, quietly begged, "Oh, Shepard. Please, my love, be safe!"

* * *

Hannah's shuttle had arrived, so Liara, Riana and Judea were at the port of entry, waiting on the passengers to disembark. Liara recognized her immediately when she came through the door, though she noted the two years must have been rough on the Captain. Liara noticed more gray in her hair, and as she got closer, she could see the worry lines in her face had gotten deeper. She felt more than a twinge of guilt at being so withdrawn and not keeping in touch better with the woman who had so freely welcomed her into the Shepard family. Liara's hand shot up as she shouted, "Hannah!" and drew her attention. Liara saw a brief flash of...something... cross Hannah's face, to be instantly replaced by a smile as recognition set in. The two crashed together in a huge hug, tears of joy and guilt running in equal measure down Liara's face. They held each other out at arms' length and Hannah said, "Now stop that, or we'll both be bawling like little babes in the woods!"

Liara laughed and wiped the tears from her face, apologizing. "I'm sorry! It's just so good to see you! Do you remember Riana and Judea?"

Hannah was right on top of it, pointing to each in turn, and saying, "Of course! The Huntress and the pilot, yes?"

The two Asari nodded their heads in respect and each said, almost in unison, "It's good to see you again, Captain."

Liara caught sight of Huntress Shasia and waved her over. "Arla! Come! I did not expect you and I am afraid I have company to entertain at the apartment..." Liara glanced at Hanna and finished her thought, "...and we have things to discuss that require privacy. I'm sorry, but I hope you do not mind bunking with Judea on the Aletheia?"

Arla promptly shook her head and responded, "Not at all, Mistress. I know the ship and the accommodations are very nice. I will just be here for two nights. I have some business the Matriarch needed me to conduct on the trading floor tomorrow, and then I will leave on the next morning's shuttle to return to Thessia. Perhaps, if it is not too presumptuous of me, we could at least have lunch tomorrow?"

Liara smiled. "I'm sure we can work something out. Coordinate with Riana, she has my complete schedule." Liara turned to Riana and continued speaking, "And you, Riana...do we have the hovercart and cargo?"

Riana indicated to the positive and then looked at Hannah with a warm smile. "Captain, do you wish to carry your bag, or drop it on the hover? The walk to the apartment is not far, but trust me, the hover will not notice an extra bag."

Hannah laughed. "I'm fine, Riana. It's very light, only a few days worth of clothes. Ready when you are." Being so late, the way was relatively clear and the trio made good time to the apartment, Liara and Hannah settled in quickly to talk.

Liara started. "Hannah, I know you have a million questions, and I know you are probably horribly angry at me for my disappearing act, and I will try to explain the best I can, but first, I must show you something. It will explain a lot, and probably change all the questions you want to ask, so let us just start with my vid and go from there." Liara then showed Hannah the footage from Omega, pausing it just after the big fight where Samantha charged around like a maniac.

Hannah was being the stoic Captain, and keeping her emotions well in check. As she spoke, she could not keep the sadness out of her voice. "I have never seen footage of my Sam in action. She was magnificent wasn't she?"

Liara reached over and held Hannah's hands tightly as she made her next statement. "Hannah, the important news I need to tell you...this video was recorded this morning on Omega. Samantha is alive and fighting." Liara watched a dozen emotions rage instantaneously across Hannah's face before she pulled away from Liara to cover her mouth with a shaking hand.

"Oh...my." Hannah's hand dropped to her lap in shock. "That's why you didn't come to the memorial."

Liara shook her head no, fighting tears, waging a war with herself before finally being able to speak. She started in on the slightly modified version of the story she was going to tell, and once it was said aloud it would be hard going back. "No, that's not why I didn't come. I didn't know then. I had doubts. Suspicions. But that was all. I just ... I was destroyed. I couldn't accept it. We took the Aletheia to the crash site and never found her body. I didn't believe she was gone, and the Alliance ignored me. I was so angry. It turned out it was a kidnapping gone horribly wrong by the Blue Suns. They had an arrangement with Capt Mikhailovich to purposely abandon the search. Joker is actually lucky she didn't make it into the pod with him. They probably would have killed him to get to her."

Liara took a deep breath and continued. "I went to the Alliance and they found no evidence. They ignored me, then they split up the Normandy crew and scattered them to the four winds. After all Shepard had done, the Alliance abandoned her, but I refused to give up. I just recently accumulated enough evidence to present it to the Alliance."

Hannah's eyes lit with a fire Liara recognized from Samantha; it was a seething rage, barely contained. Hannah's eyes narrowed as she spoke, tight and controlled. "And the woman just got relieved of duty at a reduced rank? She should have been shot for treason!"

Liara continued. "Yes, but even knowing what happened, I couldn't let her go. I set myself up as an information broker just to track her body down. When I found her, she was actually alive, in a coma at a Cerberus medical facility. It took two years for her to wake up and she has not yet contacted me, though I do not know exactly why. I got this footage through a data feed at my brokerage. I have no idea how she is other than what we can see in the video. I am so sorry, Hannah, that I do not have more information. I want... I need to know too!" As she finished, Liara broke down sobbing.

Hannah hugged the Asari tightly, doing her best to comfort Liara while fighting her own emotions. "Do not apologize, Liara! You have given me the knowledge that my daughter lives and I'll be damned if I'll be sad about any part of that! I'll tell you one thing though. I'm going to contact David Anderson to let him know, and then I'm going to give Admiral Hackett a piece of my mind!"

* * *

The commander woke five hours after Karin finished patching her up, even though the anesthetic had worn off after only two. Shepard was exhausted and natural sleep had taken over when the induced sleep was no longer a factor. She wasn't going to admit it to anyone, but concerns over being out of contact with Liara were making her sleep like shit; there was no nice way to put it. She certainly didn't want to make a habit of it, but getting put under by drugs was at least a way to get started into dream land. _Damn it! I've got to figure out how to contact Blue without bringing her under the scrutiny of Cerberus..._ Finally shaking off sleep, she got up, thanked Karin and headed to the lab, hoping Mordin Solus had come on board. He had taken her literally on her six hour estimate and he and Jacob met her coming out of the elevator on Deck 2; Solus had just come on board. Shepard welcomed him to the Normandy and gestured for Jacob to lead the way to the conference room. Mordin, of course, started talking the second they were on the move. "Very exciting. Cerberus working with aliens. Very unexpected. Illusive Man branching out, maybe? Not so human-centric? Would be good change. Current anti-alien reputation problematic."

Shepard shook her head and warned Mordin that TIM was still very much Humans first. This mission was just too big and they thought Solus was the only one capable of this particular job. Jacob joined the conversation, telling Solus about the Collectors abducting colonists from the Terminus System, yet managing to leave no evidence or any signs of attack. He started to go into more detail, but Shepard cut the discussion short. "The good thing is we don't have to guess about too much. A Quarian collected samples from the last colony hit, Freedom's Progress. I'd like you to analyze them and figure out how the Collectors did it."

Mordin brightened immediately. "Samples? Yes! Very good. Going to need a lab..."

The ever informative Edi immediately responded to Mordin's implied query, "There is a fully-equipped lab immediately adjacent to the briefing room in which you are standing, Professor Solus. If you find anything lacking, please place a requisition order."

Mordin's eyes got big, and he glanced around the room, seeking the source of the voice. "Who's that? Synthesized voice. Simulated emotional inflections. Could it be... no. Maybe. Have to ask. Is that an AI?" Shepard confirmed his assumption, and told him they called 'her' Edi.

Mordin was amazed. "An AI on board? Non-human crew members? Quarian data collections? Cerberus more desperate than I thought."

Shepard was done. "Mordin! Time's wasting. The Collectors have taken over a hundred thousand colonists and left hardly a trace. We're going to do whatever it takes to find them and stop them. Preferably sooner rather than later! So yes, humanity is a bit desperate right now."

Mordin shook his head. "Understood, Commander. I apologize. Yes, need samples. Need to identify and neutralize stasis technology. Can't risk being captured like colonists. Which way to the lab?"

Shepard let out a sigh and indicated to Jacob to show Mordin the lab and get him anything he needed. She then tapped Miranda and Zaeed; it was time to return to Omega. Miranda was just finishing up an operations report, so they walked to the armory to prep for the mission together. Miranda was surprisingly forthcoming. "I'm impressed, Shepard. So far things have gone exceptionally well. The crew has some great upgrade plans, and Jacob has already outlined some excellent armor modifications. As Cerberus operations go, this is one of the best I've been a part of."

Shepard gave her a glance and responded, "That's because it's not a Cerberus op; it's mine." Miranda immediately got defensive. "Cerberus gave you a second chance, Commander. Maybe you should do the same for us."

Shepard grimaced. "Going to take a long time to build that kind of trust after all the shit I've seen Cerberus do in the name of humanity. Why are you so loyal?" Miranda contemplated not answering, but then agreed, hesitant only because the story was very personal to her. She referred back to their first discussion, about her genetic modifications. She revealed it was done at birth, by her father. He was a narcissistic man who didn't want a daughter, he wanted a dynasty, and Miranda was a tool to that end. Running away from a loveless home, Miranda ended up with Cerberus for protection. Her father would stop at nothing to regain his investment, and Miranda needed an organization that had the power and influence to provide that. Plus, her particular advanced abilities were an improvement to the human genome, and Cerberus approved. She also enjoyed working toward the greater good of humanity over the petty personal ambitions of her ruthless father.

Shepard shook her head in disgust. "They're not much different. The way you describe it, they both treat you like a tool to be used. You are who you are, Miranda. You don't need to make excuses. Your actions speak louder than your DNA."

Miranda was not so easily convinced. "We were both built for greatness, Shepard. The difference is you were great before we rebuilt you. I'm great because of it. Cerberus helps me find meaning in how I was created."

Shepard grumped. "That's bullshit. People find purpose for their lives through their actions, not their associations. Your spirit and your personality are what make you great. It's not what you have; it's what you do with it that matters."

Miranda smiled lightly. "That's kind of you, Shepard. I'm not sure I believe you, but thanks for saying it. Anyway. Speaking of actions... we have a mission to accomplish."

Zaeed had been silent through the whole conversation while they had cleared the docks and gotten ready to enter Omega. His only comment when they stepped through the door was, "About damned time. Damn women, always gotta chat."

* * *

They walked back through the still pounding music of Afterlife to the merc recruiter standing before a room to the side of the main dance floor. Shepard sauntered up and simply said, "I hear you're recruiting."

The recruiter gave the group a quick glance and hooked his thumb at the door. "Why don't you step inside?"

They walked in and heard the end of the briefing for the volunteer in front of them. "You'll get paid when the job's done, just like everyone else." The Blue Suns trooper shouted, "Who's next?" He looked up and eyed the commander. "Well, aren't you sweet? You're in the wrong place, honey. Strippers' quarters are that way."

Shepard drew her Phalanx heavy pistol and inspected it while she spoke, "Show me yours, tough guy. Bet mine's bigger."

The Batarian's four eyes all got a little bigger and his voice registered a bit more respect for the woman before him. "Impressive. So you're here to fight, then?" Shepard just raised her eyebrows at his apparent recognition of the obvious, and waited for him to continue.

The merc obliged her, "Standard fee is 500 credits each. You get paid when the job's done. If you die, your friends don't get your share. Need your own weapons and armor. Looks like you've got that covered. And no, this does not make you a member of the Blue Suns, Eclipse, or the Blood Pack. You're a freelancer. Period."

Shepard fished for information, "So, all three merc groups are in on this?"

"Yeah," the trooper shook his head, disgusted. "Damn Archangel's hitting 'em all hard, every month it gets worse. Tarak and the other bosses are tired of losing credits...and men." Shepard continued to fish, "And Tarak is...?"

"Tarak runs the Blue Suns, but all three bosses are involved. They all have a personal stake in the fight. Jeroth's leading the Eclipse and lost a brother to Archangel, and Garm's got the Blood Pack. He's just a typical Krogan and can't stand anyone to get the better of him."

Shepard shook her head in understanding. "Sounds personal. So how are we going about this?"

"You'll get details when you get there, but last I heard, you freelancers were providing a distraction, while the mercs try to sneak past the defenses."

Shepard wasn't real comfortable with being a target dummy for someone who had outlasted three combined major merc groups. "So we're just fodder for his bullets? What do we need to do to get paid?"

The merc laughed. "Dodge fire and survive until someone kills him. Don't like it, don't sign up. Or, survive and get paid. It's easy credits."

Shepard grumped. "If it's easy credits, why can't you do it yourself? What's he got that makes him so tough?"

The merc growled. "He's holed up at his base of operations. He's up in a nest with great lines of sight... and he's a sniper. So you keep him focused, while we sneak in the side. Now, you going or you talking?"

Shepard realized she wasn't going to get any more information from the merc, so she was ready to rumble. "We're going. Where do we catch our ride?"

The merc nodded. "Just head down to the transport depot. One of our boys will take you from there."

As they turned to leave, Shepard watched a young punk walk in, who didn't look a day over twenty, if that. She stopped to watch him. When he spoke, he still sounded like his voice hadn't even changed yet. She glared at him. "How old are you? You look a little young to be a freelance merc."

The boy looked offended as he retorted, "I'm old enough! I grew up on Omega. I know how to use a gun!" He turned and faced Shepard, drawing his weapon. "Besides, I just spend 50 creds on this pistol, and I wanna use it!" Before he could blink, Shepard snatched it out of his hand and banged on the side of it; the thermal clip sparked and fell out on the floor.

"Shit, go get your money back before you get yourself killed. This is a piece of crap." Shepard threw the pistol back at him, bouncing it off his chest.

Zaeed couldn't stand it, laughing derisively as he added, "And you don't even have any armor. You're already dead; you just aren't smart enough to know it." The boy picked up the thermal clip and left the recruitment area, his cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

* * *

When they stepped out of the transport, there was another Blue Suns trooper there waiting for them. "About time they sent me someone who actually looks like they can fight. They tell you what you're up against?"

Shepard nodded, "I asked enough questions that I got the basics."

"Alright then. Archangel's up at the end of the boulevard over there. He's up in the nest. It's a killing ground. But he's starting to get tired and starting to make mistakes. We'll have him soon enough."

Shepard was confident. "I'll get to him. Just point me in the right direction."

The merc nodded in appreciation. "I like your attitude, but we've got a plan in place. You're a distraction, not the assault. Head up to the third barricade and talk to Sergeant Cathka for your assignment."

Shepard started to head off, and then asked one last question back over her shoulder. "What do you know about Archangel?"

The merc shrugged. "Me? Nothing. The bosses have been dealing with him for a while now, but don't be surprised if they don't want to talk to a freelancer."

As Shepard moved off, Edi chimed into their comms, "There are heavy mechs and a gunship. They possess considerable firepower. Weakening them before leaving will improve your chances."

Zaeed grunted. "Gunship? This shit just got interesting."

Miranda agreed. "Yes, sounds like we need to do some investigating before finding Cathka." The first door they came to led to a room with a group of Eclipse. Their leader was Jeroth, and he was speaking about the attack plan; send in the light mechs, and if that didn't work then they would send in the heavies. Shepard also caught sight of a data pad with a very interesting message on it. She picked it up, figuring she could use it for leverage. It couldn't hurt to have some good will in the bank with Aria T'Loak.

* * *

_Tarak,_

_I've spoken to Garm, and he and his men are on board. Assuming this operation is successful, we can count on high morale and extensive buy-in from the men. From the losses we've already taken, possibility exists that we won't have enough men needed to continue on to the next objective. It's clear, though, that none of our organizations would be ready to move on Aria without the assistance of the other two._

_Jaroth_

* * *

They kept on moving, ended up in a long hall with a choice of doorway. The first room they found had heavy mechs and Shepard took the opportunity to hack into their controls, overriding their ability to identify friend and foe. It wouldn't make the mechs any less dangerous, but at least now they would spend just as much time shooting at the mercs as they did shooting at them...and the mercs would be closer so would receive most of the attention. The second room had the Blood Pack and a very disgruntled Krogan named Garm, who wasn't very friendly and not very forthcoming with information. The Blue Suns' boss was just as unfriendly, so they figured it was time to check in with Cathka. When Shepard found him, he was working on the gunship, but he turned to Shepard when she called his name.

"Ah, good. Just in time. The infiltration team is about to give us the signal. Archangel won't know what hit him. Any questions? This may be your last chance."

Shepard eyed the gunship and gestured at it when she asked, "You going to give us cover?"

Cathka laughed, "Not me. Tarak is the only one who flies her. Besides, she's not quite ready. Archangel gave her a beating last time she was out there. A few more tweaks, she'll be good as new." Cathka's terminal chimed and he launched the next to last team, then turned back to Shepard. "You guys are next, and then we launch the infiltration team. I gotta get back to work, and you gotta get ready to go." With that, Sergeant Cathka returned to working on the gunship.

Shepard glanced down at an arc welding tool that Cathka had laid down on a table and picked it up; turning it on, she drove it into Cathka's back. As the tool electrocuted the merc, Shepard commented, "You're working too hard. Tarak doesn't really need that gunship at 100 percent." She turned back to her team. "Come on. We'll give these guys a surprise of our own."

* * *

Coming up behind the last team of freelancers, they never knew what hit them. Taking fire from Archangel in the front and Shepard's team from the rear, they didn't have a chance. Shepard advanced quickly up the steps to the upper level where Archangel was dug in. The team went in the door together to confront the single person who had held off three mercenary bands solo. Shepard called his moniker as a greeting, "Archangel?"

Archangel held up a hand to have them wait, while he finished sighting his sniper and took out the last freelancer still alive from the current wave of attacks. He then dropped the barrel of his rifle and slowly turned to greet them, sitting down and removing his helmet. Shepard looked on in amazement as he spoke her name. "Shepard. I thought you were dead."

Hearing him speak broke her shocked paralysis, and she threw her arms open wide and gave him a hug. "Garrus! What are you doing here?"

He shook his head. His voice sounded defeated, tired as he spoke, "Just keeping my skills sharp. A little target practice."

Shepard could hear the strain. She looked at him with concern and asked, "You Ok?" knowing the answer was really 'no' but wondering how he would answer.

Garrus answered, his voice unchanged. "Been better, but it sure is good to see a friendly face. Killing mercs is hard work, especially on my own."

Shepard still couldn't believe her friend was here, and asked him, "What are you doing here on Omega?"

Garrus had disgust in his voice when he answered. "I had a team, job went south, figured I could do more good on my own. At least it's not hard to find criminals here. All I have to do is point my gun and shoot." Shepard suddenly wished she hadn't brought Miranda along. She didn't want anyone connected to Cerberus near her, because she _really_ wanted to ask Garrus about Liara, but didn't dare; it would have to wait. Instead, she just asked what's next. "Well, we got here, but I don't think getting out will be so easy. You have an exit strategy?"

Garrus stood back up. "No, it won't. The limited access has saved my life, funneling all those idiots into my scope, but it works both ways. It also limits our escape route. They'll slaughter us if we try to go out the way you came in."

Miranda scoffed, "So we just sit here and wait for them to take us out?"

Garrus laughed, "It's not all that bad. I held my own solo, and now we have four. I suggest we hold here and wait for a crack in their defenses. It's not a perfect plan, but it's all we got."

Shepard agreed, and then filled Garrus in on the mercs' plan, stepping through mechs, heavy mechs and a gunship. "We disabled the heavy mech's friend and foe identifier, so they'll get torn up more than us when they let loose, and I killed the gunship mechanic, so that won't be back to 100 percent. It might still be flyable though, so we can't count it out."

Garrus' head perked up. "I hear movement. Let's see what their up to..."

They looked over the wall, and realized the Eclipse and their mechs were on the move. They left Garrus at his sniping position and Shepard's team spread out, as Garrus put it, to do what they do best. Garrus chuckled, "Just like old times, Shepard. Let's give these bastards everything we've got!" Shepard immediately rolled out and returned to the stairs, heading down to the lower levels. The mercs and mechs rolled in, but Shepard's team had already penetrated to the main entry, so kept them easily bottled up in the sniping zone for Garrus. It was a drawn out fight simply because of the numbers, but nothing the team didn't handle with ease.

Soon, Shepard saw Jaroth walk out, staying "If you want something done properly... All right. Let's see how you handle this, Archangel." Shepard watched as a heavy mech was deployed, and she shouted to her team to fall back to the stairs. Jaroth grinned, thinking it was out of fear, not realizing that any remaining Eclipse troops were about to be obliterated with their own heavy mech. Jaroth gave the command, "Go!" and all hell broke loose. The heavy mech stood up, enabled its twin Gatling guns, and started shooting everything in sight. As the last of the Eclipse were wiped out, Shepard concentrated on the mech and finished it off.

She heard Garrus on the radio, "Looks like that's all of 'em. Come find me before they regroup." Shepard did a quick sweep and refilled all her storage pockets with spare thermal clips from all the dead Eclipse mercs, then headed back upstairs to Archangel.

Garrus was definitely more upbeat then when they first found him. He was actually starting to think he was going to survive this after all, "You're kicking ass, Shepard! They barely touched me...and we got Jaroth in the process. I've been hunting that little bastard for months for shipping tainted eezo."

Shepard smiled, "Apparently he's had a stick up his ass since you killed his brother in one of your raids...So, what's next?"

Garrus shook his head, "Brother? No wonder. I knew it was a top lieutenant, I didn't realize he was related. As far as what's next, I don't know. They've heavily fortified the other side, but they're not coming over the wall. What are they waiting for?" Just then, a heavy explosion rocked the building. Garrus reacted immediately. "Been wondering how long it was going to take them to figure that out!"

Miranda looked around, asking, "What the hell was that?"

Garrus answered quickly, "That means they've finally breached the lower level. I've been waiting for them to figure out my back door, and they just did. I'll keep the upper level clear, you'd better get down below, Shepard, and cut off their access."

Shepard agreed, "I'm on it, but we'll split tow and two. I'm leaving Miranda here with you to provide cover. Zaeed! Let's hit it!"

Zaeed bobbed his head with a single quick nod, "Right behind you, Shepard." They hustled down the stairs and zipped through a previously sealed door. Shepard immediately knew the fight was going to get ugly. The passage branched into three passageways, and each had its own blast door they needed to seal. Shepard sprinted toward the first door as Blood Pack started to pour in. Using a biotic charge, she got to the door quickly, and a few well placed shotgun blasts kept the mercs at bay long enough for the door to close. She and Zaeed then moved quickly to the second door. The blast door control was too far up the passage, and Blood Pack were already moving through the area. There were Vorcha, varren and an occasional Krogan, and Shepard and Zaeed had to fight for every foot, moving slowly from cover to cover trying to make progress toward the blast door control panel.

Zaeed called out, "Another wave headed in! Hit that control or we're fucked, Shepard!" Shepard saw no openings, so pulled on her biotics and once again charged up to close the door quickly, only this time leaving herself exposed to the arriving Blood Pack. Her shields dropped under all the fire, and she took some hits.

When the door closed, she motioned Zaeed to the third and last door, grunting as she squatted down and opened her medical pack, "I've got to get some gel on this, then I'm right behind you!"

Zaeed moved pretty good for an older merc and Shepard was happy to have him on the team. Massani brought a lot of experience, but he'd also kept himself in shape, so brought capability as well as his knowledge. He had obviously survived a lot, and someday soon Shepard planned to ask about the scar on his face and his artificial eye; most mercs love telling their battle scar stories and she figured that one had to be a doozie. Medigel applied, she got back on her feet and ran to catch up to her teammate. Zaeed had already made the gate, he was just working on containing the few remaining Blood Pack trying to get through before it closed. As the last Krogan fell, Garrus was on the radio. "Get back here, Shepard. They're coming in the doors."

* * *

The Blood Pack leader, Garm, roared in through the doorway, "Raaah! Rip 'em to shreds!" Garrus' sniper rifle barked and a Vorcha standing right next to the big Krogan collapsed. Garm looked up at Garrus then spoke to his troops. "Watch my back. I'll deal with Archangel." Just as Garm and his deputy turned to head up the stairs, Shepard and Zaeed burst in from the lower level. The few Vorcha remaining went down pretty quickly; there were only four, along with one varren, which Garrus took with his second sniper shot. That just left the two big Krogan, which were easily defeated with all three of Shepard's team assisting Garrus. Garm got in close, but Shepard pulled a biotic charge, throwing him back and Miranda slapped him with a warp, dropping his shields. Zaeed took out the second Krogan while the other three teamed up and finished Garm off.

Once Garm went down, the team rallied with Garrus once again. "Thanks, Shepard. They hardly got through to me. And we took out Garm and his Blood Pack. This day just gets better and better."

Shepard felt it was time to go. "All we've got left are the Blue Suns. I say we take our chances and fight our way out."

Garrus nodded in agreement, saying "I think you're right. Tarak's got the toughest group, but nothing we haven't faced before. Besides, he won't be expecting us to meet him head-on..." Garrus was interrupted by the shadow of the gunship appearing outside the window.

Shepard yelled, "Cover!" and dove behind the nearest cabinet. The gunship, however, did not fire. It was merely a decoy while numerous Blue Suns deployed and started pouring into the room. Zaeed was in heaven; he hated the Blue suns and he was killing them left and right, like a man possessed.

Garrus called out that additional troops were entering from the ground floor as well, so Shepard and Zaeed charged down and cleaned them out after a couple of minutes of furious fighting. It always amazed Shepard how during the heat of battle, 120 seconds could seem like an eternity. Once all the mercs were down, they all convened on the upper level once again, trying to figure out where the gunship had gone. They were looking around trying to find it when it suddenly loomed up from down below somewhere. Tarak was at the controls, and as he yelled "Archangel!" over its external speakers, he lit up the forward guns, riddling Garrus with multiple shots. Tarak kept yelling as Garrus crawled out of the line of fire. "You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!" Shepard watched as Garrus sat up behind cover. His armor and shields had deflected a lot of the initial fire, but his shields were now down, and the gunship was still blazing away. Sudden quiet fell as the guns quit, before Tarak broke the temporary calm, yelling, "This ends now!" and launched explosive rockets into the room.

Shepard was running to help her Turian friend when the room in front of her exploded, throwing her onto her back. She rolled and jumped back up, furious, and both she and Miranda warped the gunship. Zaeed popped up from somewhere, holding the trigger down on his assault rifle until the thermal clip overheated, and yelling at the top of his lungs, "Die, you son of a bitch!" The shields on the gunship dropped and Zaeed immediately launched two inferno grenades that exploded on impact, and the team watched the gunship drop out of the sky and explode when it hit the ground. Shepard ran to Garrus, who was laying on the floor, not moving. Shepard crouched down next to her friend, calling his name and gently rolling him towards her so she could check on him. His eyes opened and he grunted in pain.

"We're getting you outta here, Garrus, just hang on!" Shepard looked at Miranda, "Radio Joker! Make sure they're ready for us!"

Miranda made the call and commented, "He's in bad shape. We need to move quickly."

* * *

Back on the Normandy, Shepard met Jacob in the briefing room. Jacob told her that they did what they could for Garrus, but he took a bad hit. Doctor Chakwas was familiar with Turian physiology and corrected what she could with surgery, and Miranda had lent her cybernetics expertise. They figured he would have full functionality but didn't know when he would be mission ready. Just as Jacob finished his report, the door to the conference room opened and Garrus walked in. "Shepard."

Jacob laughed as he called Garrus a tough son of a bitch. "Didn't think you'd be up yet. Welcome to the team, Archangel."

Garrus walked into the room and pointed accusingly at Shepard. "Nobody would give me a mirror. How bad is it?"

Shepard put a grin on her face and crossed her arms across her chest. "Hell, Garrus, you were always ugly. Slap some face-paint on there, and no one will even notice."

Garrus laughed, and then grunted in pain, "Ha... ahhhh! Don't make me laugh, damn it. My face is barely holding together as it is. Some women find facial scars attractive. Mind you, most of those women are Krogan..." Shepard just laughed and shook her head, staring down at the floor. Jacob saluted the commander and left the room, saying he would leave the two friends to their reunion. As soon as the door closed behind him, Garrus looked at Shepard and spoke in a more serious tone. "Frankly, I'm more worried about you. I've heard bad things about Cerberus these past few years."

Shepard kept looking at the floor as she responded. "I know, Garrus. I was in a coma, haven't been up all that long yet, but the Alliance isn't looking very good either. They broke up the team, the Council is denying everything we found." She sighed, and then pressed on, raising her head to look at Garrus as she finished. "But I hate Cerberus, Garrus, and I don't trust them. Don't worry. I haven't changed. I'm using their assets because I have no alternative, but I'm calling the shots. That's why I need you. I need to know I have someone who will truly have my back when it starts raining shit."

Garrus looked at her like she was crazy. "You realize this plan has me walking through the same shit storm, right? Hah. Just like old times, Shepard. I'm fit for duty whenever you need me. I'll settle in and see what I can do at the forward batteries."

Shepard caught him before he left. "Hey, Garrus? It's great to have you aboard. I'm glad you're here...and by the way... our pilot? It's Joker. Be sure to say hello or you'll hurt his feelings. But before any of that, you're coming with me. I have some business with Aria, and I want you at my side."


	4. Friends Close and Enemies Closer

Miranda caught up to her as Shepard left the conference room. "Commander, I think it's time to head to the Citadel and get your little Alliance 'errand' out of the way so we can get on with the mission."

Shepard bristled at the operative's derisive tone but let it slide. "Not yet. I have one more thing I need to finish up on Omega before we head out."

Miranda stopped dead in her tracks. "We've picked up all three of our potentials; we've shopped for upgrades, even bought your damned brew pot and coffee to put in it, for a small fortune I might add. What else is there?"

Samantha sighed before answering. "The datapad we picked up?" Receiving a blank stare from Lawson, she was compelled to continue the explanation. "God, Miranda! Stop thinking like TIM and start thinking for yourself! We're going to be operating a lot in the Terminus Systems. Don't you think a little good will from Aria could help us along the way? I'm thinking that informing her on a potential coup should buy us a lot of good will. Friendship and trust is a hell of a lot better way to get things done than terror. Once you figure that out, we might actually be able to work together instead of just along parallel lines."

With Shepard's blatant disrespect of the Illusive Man, Lawson started to prepare an angry retort, but as the commander finished her statement, Miranda snapped her jaw closed, saying nothing. She recognized the fine line the commander had drawn between the concepts of teamwork and just working toward a common goal; she had never thought about it from that aspect before and she gained no small amount of respect for the commander in that realization. "Understood, Commander. I...never thought of it like that. I'll take it under advisement. Let me know when you're ready to go ashore."

The commander smiled, "No need, Miranda. I'm taking Garrus and Mordin with me." That got Miranda's attention; one of the Illusive Man's directives was that at least one Cerberus operative would accompany the commander on all ground missions.

She promptly mentioned it to Shepard, and as she watched anger grow in the commander's eyes, she added, "but what the Illusive Man doesn't know, can't irritate him, right? Right." Lawson said the last word more to herself than to Shepard, as if trying to convince herself this was really a rule she was willing to break.

She gave Shepard a worried smile, to which the commander laughed. "You might be alright after all, Operative Lawson. You're the XO...you can get the ship ready to depart. Hopefully, we won't be long."

* * *

Shepard strolled into the lab to get Mordin. Based on previous contact with the Salarian, she was almost afraid to start a conversation; he sure did like to talk. But, Shepard liked to get onto a personal level with all of her crew, and Professor Solus would be no different, so she took a deep breath and asked him if he had time to go ashore with them.

"Of course! Plague on Omega dealt with. Plenty of time to analyze Collector intelligence. Impressive lab. Well equipped. AI particularly helpful. Best setup since worked with Special Tasks Group." His metered speech would take some getting used to, but it had a cadence to it that Sam found somewhat entertaining. They walked and talked at the same time.

"Glad you like the lab. It's a huge step up from what I saw on Omega. That had to be rough."

Mordin flashed a quick smile. "No! Loved it. Limited facility presented a challenge. Save greatest number of people using limited resources. Add in security threats, gangs, merc groups. Additional difficulties stretched abilities to limit. Very rewarding. Quite enjoyable! Also enjoy saving people of course. Helping the helpless, greater good and all that. Nice retirement after STG work."

Mordin's dossier was very vague about what he did in the STG, and Shepard was definitely curious. Since he mentioned it, it seemed the perfect time to ask about his experiences. "Speaking of the STG...Everyone I talked to on Omega said you were crazy, saving people with one hand, while gunning down mercs and gangs with the other. Sounds like you have some practical experience."

Mordin gave her a quick and dirty on STG operations, ending with a statement that the STG was the basic model for the Council Spectres, with the same type of independent operation capabilities. He then answered her question, with generic mission descriptors and few details.

"Several recon missions. Covert, high-risk. Served under young captain named Kirrahe. Studied Krogan Genophage. Took water, tissue samples from Krogan colonies."

Shepard recognized the young captain's name and cut in. "Kirrahe? We worked with him on Virmire. His team helped me destroy Saren's Krogan cloning facility there."

Mordin was very complimentary of the young captain. "Heard he was part of that! Jury-rigged explosive? Always got job done with limited resources. Good captain! Bit of a cloaca, though. Loved his speeches. 'Hold the line!' Personally prefer to get the job done and go home. Probably military bravado. Jargon, chest-pounding." Mordin hesitated and raised his hands in apology, glancing back and forth between Shepard and Garrus. "Uhhh...No offense."

Shepard laughed. "None taken. You know, I brought you along for more than conversation, though. I have a special task for you when we get back on board. My cabin... hell, probably the whole ship... is bugged. I'd like every one of them that is in what you would consider 'personal space' to be removed. Can you do it?"

Mordin replied promptly. "Of course. Already removed five from the lab. Destroyed all but one. Very expensive. Returned that one to Operative Lawson. Seemed angry. Should be happy I didn't destroy them all." Shepard was about to make some witty comment, then got quiet when she realized how much pain Mordin's assessment was causing Garrus; it still hurt the Turian to laugh and she didn't want to make things any worse.

* * *

As they approached the steps to Aria's command center, one of her Turian guards mentioned that Aria had work for them if they were interested. Keeping in mind that her whole purpose behind this visit was to ingratiate her team to the Pirate Queen, Shepard stopped and heard him out. The guard started talking, "Aria's gotten word that some Blood Pack mercs plan to kill an old acquaintance of hers. A Krogan named Patriarch. She'd like you to keep that from happening."

Shepard was curious. "Why come to me? Aria has plenty of muscle for a job like that."

"Because Aria said so." It was obvious the guard was not used to people questioning Aria's requests as he continued, "What other reason do you need?"

Shepard pressed for an answer, trying to learn more about Aria in the process. "People like Aria don't do things without a damn good reason. I want to hear it."

The merc continued, "Fine, as long as the job gets done...but I didn't tell you this. Got me? If it gets out that Aria's protecting the Patriarch...well, that makes her look vulnerable, and some people might try to exploit that. You're not on her payroll, so if you do it, seems like just a random act of kindness by the mighty Commander Shepard."

Made sense, but Shepard wanted more. "Why does Aria care?"

"Patriarch was one of her deadliest enemies back in the day. Now she keeps him around as a trophy. As long as he lives he serves as an example of what happens if you cross her."

"Ok, so that's Aria's side... but why does the Blood Pack care?" Now Garrus was curious, because he was still happy to cause the Omega mercs more problems, any way he could.

The guard laughed, "If you knew Patriarch, you'd know the answer to that question. He can't keep his mouth shut, and some people don't like the stories he's willing to share. He can cause people problems. He knows too much."

Shepard glanced at Garrus, then back to the guard. "Consider it done. Where do I find him?"

The guard nodded and gave the group directions on how to find the Patriarch, telling them to come back for payment once the job was done.

Shepard continued up the stairs to speak to Aria about the datapad. The commander was surprised; she was not confronted by any of the guards and Aria just waived at her to take a seat. Glancing at Shepard's companions, Aria commented on the obvious success of her hunts and that she appreciated people who knew how to get things done. Shepard pressed the opening, "So, you appreciate my abilities. Sounds like a possible basis for ...let's say...potential future mutually beneficial arrangements."

Aria forced a laugh as she stood up and approached the commander, with a slow, sensual sway in her hips. She ran her fingers lightly down Shepard's cheek and across her chin. "Why, Commander. Knowing your...predilection for Asari, I might think you are propositioning me."

Shepard laughed in return, enjoying the flirting to a limited extent. "Only for business, Aria. My personal arrangements are quite...satisfactory...to me."

"Yes, I imagine so. I've had the privilege of meeting your Dr T'Soni. She surprised me. Your little shy archeologist has some fire when she's...sufficiently motivated." Aria suddenly went cold, not appreciating being dismissed so readily. She suddenly slapped the commander on the cheek, not hard, but enough to sting, and retreated to her seat before continuing. "But business, that's different. I have many friends and enemies kept at varying distances. I don't count you among either, yet. We'll see how useful you prove."

Shepard glared at the Asari, but did not move to rub her cheek or make any other move to acknowledge Aria's act. She tossed the datapad at Aria, saying, "Maybe this will prove my usefulness. Got it off the mercs gunning for Archangel. They were coming for you next."

Aria caught the pad gracefully and glanced through it. The more she read, the narrower her eyes got, until they were angry slits. "Interesting. Would someone like to tell me how this information slipped the net?" She threw the pad at one of her guards, all of whom were suddenly very nervous.

The one she hit stuttered out a reply, "I...I'll look into it!"

Aria's expression turned contemplative. "Looks like I'll have to do a little cleaning in my organization. Thanks for the heads-up, Shepard. I'll...consider...your proposition."

"It's all I can ask, Aria. I am curious though. How did you happen to meet Dr T'Soni?" Shepard didn't remember Liara ever mentioning such a meeting, so was honestly curious.

"Oh, it was over a little business with the Blue Suns. Ask your Turian friend, he was there, at least for part of it." Aria had an expression on her face that glowed with mischievous intent, so Shepard let it drop; no longer feeling like it was something she wanted to pursue. At least not with Aria.

With that, Shepard stood up. "Thanks for your time, Aria. Been a pleasure, but you know how it is. Places to go, people to see. Maybe I'll see you around."

Aria instantly distanced herself. "Whatever, Shepard. Maybe I'll be here."

* * *

The team worked their way down to the lower level and found a room with an aging Krogan. When they walked in, he was talking about planning a funeral. When Shepard got closer, he stopped his story and turned to her. "I don't think I know you, Human. I'm the Patriarch. Aria's Patriarch. What do you want?" Still looking to improve the team's operations in the Terminus, Shepard asked him about Aria. The Patriarch told her about a young Asari who showed up with nothing but the clothes on her back; he thought she was another dancer. "Huh! Then she killed half my men and convinced the rest that she could run this place better than I did. She came for me here in this very bar and we tore the place apart. She crushed one of my hearts and shattered half the bones in my body. Then she let me live, convinced me I could play the role of an advisor. What she really did was turn me into a damn trophy. I killed a lot of people, lived well, and was beaten by a small Asari who keeps me around as an example."

Shepard was content with the knowledge that Aria hadn't wanted to give up, so moved on to the job at hand and told the Patriarch that someone wanted him dead. The Patriarch scoffed at the idea, saying they didn't want him dead, they wanted to use his death to get to Aria. "So, she send you? Would look bad if I was hurt while under her protection. Maybe I'll just stay, see who thinks I'm important enough to kill, and get some last revenge on Aria on my way to the next life."

Shepard liked this old Krogan; he had spirit, so she offered him a better option. "You know that wouldn't work. Aria would just spin it as she'd gotten tired of you, that you were no longer of any use or entertainment value so the assassins did her a favor and rid her of a pest. How about we not give her the satisfaction? I'll handle the assassins for you, as the powerful warlord with forces at his command. Not just Aria's trophy."

The Patriarch stood a little taller, but still eyed Shepard with suspicion. "And why would you do this for me?"

Shepard shrugged. "I respect Aria for who and what she is, but I don't like how she gives a little and takes a lot. If I am going to deal with her in the future, I want to even the score a little."

The Patriarch laughed, "So, you would do this for me just to get under Aria's skin, to maintain more parity than she likes? You play a dangerous game and the risk is yours to take, Human, but I like you. You will be my krantt, and fight for my honor. You do this for me, and I might even feel like a Krogan again!"

The team headed out to the main hall to exit Afterlife, and came face-to-face with two Blood Pack Krogans. The lead merc waved his gun in Shepard's face, saying, "Out of our way, Human." While Shepard asked if they were there for Patriarch, Garrus and Mordin both moved a bit out to their respective sides, flanking the mercs. The Blood Pack thug didn't budge, just asked, "What if we are? You gonna do something about it?"

Shepard was casual in her response, eyeing the merc as she stated that she was Patriarch's krantt, and would do whatever it took. The merc laughed at her, saying he wasn't even aware the old man had one. Shepard shook her head, then drew her weapon as she said, "You should have done your homework." The team was more than ready for two ill-prepared Krogan; there wasn't even really a fight before the two mercs lie dead on the floor. Shepard looked at Mordin and Garrus and just shrugged her shoulders. She said, "Well. That was easy," as she turned to walk back into the club and let Patriarch know it was already over.

After thanking the commander, he offered her a word of advice. "Be careful with Aria. She will approve of what you've done, I think, but not of you altering the balance of Omega. I think it reminds her too much of herself."

Shepard thanked the Patriarch for his advice, and went to see Grizz for payment. It didn't turn out to be so easy. Having killed the mercs in the main hall, it caught Aria's attention and she wanted to see the Spectre. Shepard sighed, and headed up the stairs to the Queen's lair. She hadn't even walked all the way in before Aria started speaking. "Word has it that Patriarch's krantt took out the men sent here to kill him. Funny, I didn't know he had a krantt."

Shepard took the chance to be a smart ass, thinking to test just how far Aria would push their budding association. "Hmm. You didn't know about the coup either. Your information net appears to need some work." She was pleased with the result when Aria didn't take the bait.

Aria simply responded, "Hmm... Well, no one would dare cross him with such a powerful krantt standing up for him." But, the Asari also let the commander know she was aware of the ploy as she continued. "It's not what I asked, but you got the job done. You've done a lot for me Shepard, and you're after the Collectors which benefits me as well. Let me return the favor by granting you your request for a mutually beneficial relationship. You don't fuck with any of my operations, and none of my forces will harass the Normandy within the Terminus."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "How do I know what operations are yours?" Aria laughed, "Oh, you'll know. Everything I run has the Omega symbol on it, just like the Alliance, just like Cerberus. I label what's mine, and my only rule is don't fuck with Aria. You obey that, we're good."

Shepard stood up and looked directly at Aria as she spoke, "Simple. I like it. Easy to remember." With a final nod, Shepard turned and left the control center, her team in tow.

* * *

After they made it out the last door and were walking back through the docks to the Normandy, Shepard queried Garrus. "So, you want to tell me what that was all about back there with Aria? How you and Liara ended up on Omega together and you didn't think it was important enough to mention?"

Garrus shook his head. "Ya know that job I mentioned, the one I said went south? That was it, but I can't tell you anything more. I know you don't like it, but that's a discussion you need to have with Liara, not me. I'm not stepping into the middle of it."

Shepard was not pleased and she stopped in her tracks. "You're already in the middle of it, Garrus! Just the fact I know you were here with her. What the hell could have possibly brought you and Liara to Omega?"

"It was her decision to come, Shepard. I made some bad calls, and everything that happened as a result... I don't trust my judgment in this. You have to ask her to tell you. I'm sorry."

Garrus looked like he wanted to throw up, so Shepard grudgingly let it slide. "Alright, Vakarian. But don't think this is over." Shepard turned and headed for the ship, very concerned that perhaps TIM's story about Liara working for the Shadow Broker was true and Garrus flat out refused to be the one to break the bad news. _Son of a bitch! I have got to find a way to get in touch with her!_

* * *

Aethyta was at the bar and when two Asari came in, and not just any two Asari. She immediately recognized Liara's pilot, Judea; she was a regular. Aethyta, however, did not recognize the commando she was with, and wondered if it was her contact from Armali. As they approached the bar, Aethyta called out a welcome. "Hey, Judea! How's life in the fast frigate biz?"

Judea laughed. "Boring! I thought I was going to get that run to Thessia to pick up some cargo, but it got shipped on a shuttle instead, and dragged this sorry-ass commando along with it. Matriarch, meet Arla. Arla... Matriarch Aethyta."

Aethyta whistled. "Hmmm. Must be good stuff to send a courier along with it."

Arla smiled, "Nah, just some personal belongings Lady T'Soni requested. I came along for the shopping. Looking for some special amp upgrades that have supposedly been released, along with some other stuff. The Matriarch gave me a whole list!"

Judea jumped into the conversation. "That's just crazy. She could have just sent the list to me. I have plenty of time to do stuff like that, rather than send you across the galaxy just to go shopping. That doesn't make a lot of sense."

Aethyta barked out a laugh, "Oh! A maiden after my own heart, questioning the Matriarchs and their supposed wisdom! Careful young one, that can get you into trouble, trust me! I've been there!"

Judea's face paled and she stammered, "Oh! N-no! That's not... That's not what I meant at all! I just..." Judea tapered off, not having any real argument, because it really was exactly what she meant. She just hadn't meant to be so obvious in trying to find out why Arla was really on Illium, so she changed the subject, asking Arla about how everything was going, back in Armali. They talked a long time about training programs and new weapons and armor, and finally Judea yawned. After Arla promised she'd be fine on her own, Judea retired for the night, leaving Arla and the Matriarch alone at the bar.

"Goddess! I didn't think she'd ever give up! She's not very subtle. She's been trying since I got here to find out why I came. From what I've seen, I'm starting to wonder that myself!" Arla was not pleased with her lack of progress on the T'Soni front. She explained to the Matriarch about being completely cut off from Liara, when she had fully expected to be bunked with Riana as a matter of house courtesy. When the Matriarch questioned that, Arla came to Liara's defense. "Don't get me wrong, Matriarch. House courtesy is being met; they just have me bunking on the ship instead of in the apartment. Lady T'Soni is well aware of her obligations, and is deficient in none of them. She just has other company to entertain that we were unaware of."

Aethyta was very surprised by the news. "Do you not realize who that is? That's Commander Shepard's mother! I wonder who contacted who... Goddess, I wish you could have gotten in there; we need to know what they are talking about. Damn. Your visit has actually raised more questions than it's answered." She then turned the conversation to Liara somehow getting tipped off, scanning her whole office, and destroying every bug Aethyta had in place. "So, we're deaf, dumb and blind, and not much smarter than we were when all this shit started happening. Tevos is going to hate me. Good thing I'm on the fringe of Council space."

* * *

Up in the apartment, Liara, Hannah, and Riana had enjoyed a quiet dinner, even though Hannah had announced she was departing early. After digesting the news that Samantha was alive, Hannah arranged to take the early morning shuttle and was now on the Citadel to talk to Councilor Anderson. She was still extremely angry over the whole aborted rescue attempt of her daughter, and what she saw as an Alliance cover-up to avoid political fall-out. An Alliance officer had conspired against a Council Spectre, while on a Council mission, and it was all swept under the rug, along with her daughter. Who, in typical Commander Shepard fashion, managed to somehow come out of a hopeless situation very much alive...again. The Alliance had some explaining to do. Liara urged her to be cautious, until they had a chance to talk to Samantha and find out more of what was going on, but Hannah trusted David. She had agreed to hold off on her talk to Hackett, but she wouldn't guarantee how long. As she continued to reminisce over her short time spent with Liara, she found it easy to identify the fire Liara still held in her heart for Samantha. Her daughter was lucky, and she prayed they would find their way past the obstacles life kept throwing in their path.

A door opened and she saw Councilor Anderson standing before her, beckoning her into his office. The minute the door was closed, Captain Shepard opened up and fired with both barrels, running the entire list of facts that Liara had provided her, barely taking time to breathe. When she finished, she looked at David and simply asked, "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Anderson sighed and looked her straight in the face as he answered. "You've got most of it, Hannah. And I am well aware of Samantha's survival. What you don't know are all the rumors that I'm fighting, saying she has abandoned the Alliance and gone rogue, just like Saren." He held up his hand to stop Hannah when she started to contradict him. "Don't get angry with me. I'm just telling you what I'm fighting against. She's been seen on a Cerberus flagged ship, wearing Cerberus colors and to be honest, we have nothing to contradict them. We don't have the facts, but I'm working on getting them. Have you talked to Samantha at all?" When Hannah shook her head no, he continued, "So you being here, today, is just coincidence?"

Hannah looked at him questioningly, "Coincidence with what, David? I just came from Illium after meeting with Liara, and she showed me video footage of Sam on Omega...2 days ago."

"You've talked with Liara? God, I wish that girl would talk to me! She won't return my calls."

Hannah growled, "Do you blame her? The Alliance abandoned her bondmate, and then ignored her pleas to continue the search. And for what, David? She was right! She has every reason to be furious with you and hate the Alliance for what they did... As do I! But like me, she's also loyal, maybe to a fault. Just keep in mind where her loyalty lies, and it's with Samantha. Not the Alliance, not with Thessia. With one each, Commander Shepard. And you didn't answer my question... coincidence with what? What else is happening today that I don't know about?"

Anderson stood up and walked to his window. "God forgive me, Hannah, for not telling you this before, but right now, this very instant, the Normandy SR-2 is docking on the Citadel and thirty minutes from now, your daughter is going to be standing in this office, so I hope you don't have a shuttle to catch because you're going to miss it."

Hannah shot up out of her chair like a rocket. "David Anderson! How could you keep from me that my daughter was not only alive, but that she was coming to Council space to see you! Oh, God... Liara is going to be so much more angry at you! You had better at least arrange for a video call to Illium, David, or she'll flay you alive!"

The councilor stood at the window with his head hung low. "We need to talk to her first, Hannah. No one from the Alliance has. For all we know, she could have switched sides. God knows she has every reason to hate both the Alliance and the Council right now." He turned and faced Hannah, and she could see the stricken look on his face. He thought of Samantha like a daughter.

It tore Hannah's heart apart to see the expression on his face. "Oh, David. I'm so sorry. This does put us all in a spot, doesn't it? But it's Sam! We both know better!"

Anderson nodded. "Yes, we do. I've always trusted her, Hannah. Hell, I helped her steal the Normandy. But we have to convince everyone else of it too."

* * *

Returning to the Citadel was interesting to say the least. Shepard got out of the taxi and approached the main doors to the wards; evidence of increased security since the attack was everywhere. Before she got there, a large advertising column attracted her attention by calling her name. She had thought the contact protocols she received for Kasumi Goto a little odd, but apparently they were on the mark. She approached the column and an image appeared, followed by a request. "Commander Shepard. Enter the password and receive a free gift!" When Shepard did not respond immediately, the voice spoke again, "Got problems with collectors? Try Kasumi's credit services!"

The commander chuckled, and spoke the provided passphrase, "Silence is golden." Kasumi was obviously of oriental descent, but wearing a hooded cloak that obscured a large portion of her face.

All Shepard could really see was that she had a wide purple stripe tattooed on her lower lip, and those lips were accompanied by a soft lilting voice. "Good to finally meet you, Commander. Kasumi Goto. I'm a fan."

Shepard had her appointment with Anderson, so got straight to the point. "Have you been briefed on the mission?"

Kasumi had a soft, pleasant laugh as she spoke, "Honestly, I'm shocked they didn't come to me sooner. My fault for being hard to find, I guess."

"So, what's the point of all the cloak and dagger if it makes it hard to get jobs?"

Kasumi became very serious and her voice dropped in volume as she replied. "Because I'm the best thief in the business, not the most famous. I need to watch my step to make sure it stays that way. I also needed to make sure this was all legit. It's obvious you're the real deal."

Shepard crossed her arms and tilted her head as she asked, "How can you be so sure just by looking at me?"

"There's a certain...aura about you, Commander. Like you've seen things no one else has. It's time to wrap this up." Kasumi's image faded from the column and Shepard looked up, in the direction she now heard the voice coming from. She saw a lithe Asian standing on the catwalk above her, who continued speaking. "I'm not very comfortable talking so much, out in the open like this. See you on the ship, Shepard." As Shepard watched, Kasumi Goto activated a cloaking device and disappeared from sight.

Shepard turned and approached the entrance to the Citadel, stopping at the security checkpoint to be scanned for entry. The guard looked very confused by the readout and was speaking with someone inside. "What? Do you seriously think... yeah, okay." He then looked at Shepard, "Sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am. The system seems to think you're, ah, dead."

Shepard rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Yeah, I'm not surprised. I was listed as missing in action a couple years ago, and this is my first trip back here."

The guard gestured at the door. "Go ahead in and check with my Captain. He can reinstate you in our system."

As she walked into the security office, the Captain looked up at her with a grin. "I see the problem already, Commander Shepard. My console says you're dead."

Shepard asked him what she needed to do to fix it, and he gave her a couple of options. He could give her a temporary pass, and she could run around for three days to all the offices she needed to visit to get everything reapproved..."or I can just push this little override button right here and make everything like it used to be." Captain Bailey looked up at her for approval.

Shepard frowned. "You can do that? How many regulations does that break?"

Bailey grumped, "I don't care. You're a goddamn hero! It's not like we have to worry about you smuggling guns in or something. There. All done. Might want to visit the Council, though. Figure they might like to confirm their lost Spectre isn't dead."

Shepard grimaced. "Yeah, that's on my agenda. Not my favorite place to visit, but it's been awhile since I've checked in. Thanks, Bailey. I owe ya one."

Bailey scoffed. "We all owe you more than one, Shepard. You need anything, you just let me know. We're all in your debt!"

Shepard thanked him again and turned to her crewmates. It was time to get busy; each had their assignments, the normal upgrade quests and talking to contacts on the station for any additional information they could gather. Shepard would much rather be shopping for new toys, but grudgingly headed to the Council offices to meet Anderson and the rest of the Council.

* * *

When Commander Shepard stepped into the councilor's office, her heart skipped a beat and she found it hard to get enough breath to form words. "Mom?" That was all it took, and Hannah Shepard was across the room, crushing her daughter in a hug. There were no words to describe the feeling of joy the two felt being together again. Amidst her tears, the elder Shepard told Sam she knew she had a meeting with the council, but she wouldn't be going anywhere. She would wait outside until the meeting was concluded, and then they would talk. When Anderson walked up and told them it was time, Samantha was reluctant to let her mother go, but finally did with a shaky laugh, "Duty first!... Mom...Don't go far." The sense of loss was evident on Sam's face, and Hannah already regretted agreeing to step away for the meeting.

Samantha turned to Anderson and shook his hand. "Good to see you, Anderson. Hope the last couple of years have treated you well enough."

Anderson looked her over as he answered, "There've been some rough spots, but I'm not going to complain, knowing what you've been through. Damn good to see you too, Shepard. Let's get this formality over with so we can talk."

Anderson turned to the communications terminal and called up the Council. The first person to speak was the Salarian, Councilor Valern. "We've heard many rumors surrounding your unexpected return. Some of them are unsettling."

Asari Councilor Tevos jumped in, showing her typical support, "We called this meeting, so you could explain your actions, Shepard. We owe you that much." Tevos then looked at the other councilors as she finished, as if they needed reminding. "After all, you saved our lives in the battle against Saren and his Geth."

Shepard shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, I've heard many versions of how you all are ignoring Sovereign and the Reapers, but I'm not here to debate that today; it's a useless argument anyway, I know. Today I'm just here to tell you what the hell happened to me and where I've been for the last two years." Shepard went through her story as best she could, highlighting her plan to use the Normandy, and Cerberus assets to complete the mission against the Collectors. "I have every intention of sending reports back to the Alliance at every opportunity, and to feed information to the council via Councilor Anderson. You should be happy...I'm working on a Council mission and it's not costing you a penny."

Turian Councilor Sparatus didn't believe her account, saying it was too vague and incomplete. He was not pleased. "You are working for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the Council. This is treason, a capital offense." Anderson jumped in, "That's too far! Shepard is a hero. I'm on this Council too, and I won't let that line of thought continue!"

Angry, Shepard ridiculed Sparatus. "Councilor Sparatus, you've hated me from day one, and you've never believed a word I've said. But I'll say it again, a bit louder, just in case it's because you're hard of hearing, and not stupid. I am not working for Cerberus. I am using their stuff and taking their money, and then when the mission is complete, I'm coming home to the Alliance and maybe you all will have your heads pulled out of your asses by then and breathing enough fresh air that you can actually think before you speak."

Sparatus just sputtered in amazement, and Tevos stepped in again, before the situation went from bad to worse. "Perhaps there is a compromise. Not a public acknowledgement, given your current...affiliations, but something to show peripheral support."

Valern kept it going. "Yes! Keep a low profile, and restrict your operations to the Terminus Systems, the Council can let you continue operations and reinstate you as a Spectre."

At this point, Sparatus was very vocal in his dissent, but it didn't matter. The vote was three against one in favor of restoring Shepard's Spectre status, so Sparatus could do nothing but fume at the outcome. Shepard accepted the conditions and the offer of reinstatement. "I appreciate the trust some of you are still willing to show me. I won't let you down."

Tevos followed up, "Good luck with your investigation, Shepard. We hope for a quick resolution...and a quick end to your relationship with Cerberus."

Anderson was surprised, "Well, that went better than expected. The council won't do anything to help, but at least they won't get in the way either."

Shepard was still ticked off at Sparatus. "That shit Turian won't be happy until he has my head mounted on his damn wall. Keep him off my back, Anderson, or you will be trying me for treason because I'm going to shoot him myself and bury him with Saren."

Anderson gave her a sidelong glance, "Shepard..."

"I know, Sir. He just gets under my skin. He's such an ass...but enough about the council. What about my crew? I've tracked down most, at least to find out what they're doing but there's some I can't find...like Ashley Williams."

Lieutenant Williams is on a special duty assignment. It's classified. Sorry, Shepard, but as long as you're working with a Cerberus crew I can't pass that information to you. I'm afraid as far as that goes, I'll be as bad as the rest of the Council. The information flow will be largely one direction. I'm sorry. Just do me a favor and be careful. You can't trust Cerberus."

Shepard laughed. "No worries, Anderson. That sounds very much like the speech I gave to Garrus when I brought him on board. We'll be careful, and I'll pass as much as I can to you. I'm... I'm going to go talk to my mom. Thanks for everything, Anderson."

Shepard went back out to the lobby, and she and Hannah had a long talk. Finally, Hannah said they had to go, because she had a surprise for Sam. They walked down a long hallway, to a part of the embassy where Sam had never been, into a small room. Sam looked around, didn't understand where they were, and looked questioningly at her mom. Hannah went over to a terminal and started typing in some codes, then turned and faced Sam. "It's the secure Commander's communications network. You have twenty minutes, Sam. It's the best I could do, and I'll be waiting outside for you."

Samantha still didn't understand and was looking at her mom to explain when she heard a voice behind her that she once feared she would never hear again. Her eyes went wide and she spun around; Hannah Shepard slipped out the door and locked it behind her, to give her daughter privacy.

Samantha was shaking like a leaf as she dared breathe the name aloud, "Liara!"


	5. The Long Dark Road

Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes of dedicated time on the Commander's communications network. Sam had a pretty good idea at how many strings her mom had to pull and how many favors she needed to call in to get twenty minutes of personal time on the command network. Sam couldn't stand up, and collapsed into the chair in front of the terminal, just staring at the screen. Liara was crying gently, but still managed words. "Shepard? Are you alright? Goddess, that sounds so banal! You're alive! My sources said you were, but I never believed...and then I saw the video of you on Omega..."

Sam had finally found her voice, "God, Blue! I'm so sorry to put you through that! I can't imagine what the last two years have been like for you. It's so good to see you! I've missed you terribly and I've been desperate to find a way to talk to you! I wish I could touch you and make sure you're real!" Sam jumped out of the chair and approached the screen. Liara laughed, and Sam's heart melted at the sound. "Oh how I miss that laugh. God, I miss everything about you! I wanted to write you, but..." Sam hesitated, unsure of how to explain, "Liara, I'm on a Cerberus ship, but I figure you probably know that. My mom told me about the video. I don't trust them, Liara, but I'm stuck with them for now...but I also have Garrus with me again. He joined us on Omega, so I've got someone I trust to watch my back."

Shepard didn't see the shadow that passed quickly across Liara's face. The Asari held mixed emotions about Garrus, but dared not say anything. She was still incredibly angry with the Turian over the perceived abandonment of her on Omega, but couldn't risk Shepard getting into an argument with him over it, based on Sha'ira's gift of words indicating his importance to Shepard's future safety. Instead, she swallowed her personal feelings, and spoke positively. "That's wonderful, Shepard! I know you felt as if he were a brother to you. I am glad you are not alone there!"

That prompted a quick discussion about Joker and Karin being on board as well, before Shepard fell solemn. "I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, but I don't trust Cerberus with the knowledge of how important you are to me, so I'm afraid to communicate with you from the ship and they're with me every second when I step off. But I'm working on it! I have this crazy Salarian working for me, Mordin Solus. He's ex-STG and he's going to de-bug my quarters. I'll have to see if he can figure out a way to bypass the ship's comm filter. Maybe not video, but at least get me secure messaging! I... I'm rambling is what I'm doing. I just have so much to tell you!"

Liara smiled the whole time, just absorbing her bondmate's voice and loving to watch her so animated... so alive! "And I have much to tell you as well, Shepard. But it needs to be done in person. Please tell me you can get to Illium?"

Sam could hear the longing in Liara's voice, which made her answer all that much harder. "I can, Blue, but I don't know when. I have a list of folks I need to recruit for the mission, and if I wait too long, they may relocate and I'll lose them. I have a crazy biotic that I need to pull from a maximum security prison called Purgatory, and a Krogan Warlord from Korlus. I wanted to get Wrex, but we can't seem to get him to leave Tuchanka. I want you, too! I want you by my side again, love, more than anybody! I need my biotic dynamo, and you know there's no one I trust more!" Sam trailed off as she watched Liara's expression become shielded and withdrawn at her request to join the team. "Liara? I can see it on your face. You won't... Why won't you come with me?" Tears started to form in Sam's eyes at the realization.

Liara started to cry as well, but choked the words out. "I'm an information broker now, Shepard. It's paid the bills since you... well, for the past two years. I have contracts, obligations. You were gone... I ... I needed to survive, to do something, and now I have commitments here. Things I need to take care of."

_Information broker? No!_ _I won't believe it! _Sam's voice cracked, "What kinds of things? What are you doing? Are you in trouble? Danger?"

Liara was quick to reassure her, "No, no trouble, no danger. But it's been a long two years, Shepard. I had things to do while you were gone. I have debts to repay."

Sam was confused. "Debts? Certainly not financial...Liara, did something happen to the estate or something? What's going on? Please, tell me!"

Liara hung her head, "I can't, Shepard. Not over this comm net, anyway. I need to see you in person...to explain. This isn't something I can do now. Not like this. Please, just get to Illium as soon as you can. I'll be waiting."

_What could she possibly not tell me over the Alliance Secure Net?_ Sam walked closer to the comm screen. "I'm coming, Blue. I'm going to work my way through the recruitment list and I'm going to come for you. Count on it. Figure out whatever it is you need to do, because I really expect you to come with me. You're my bondmate, T'Soni. I need you with me. I _want_ you with me! Goddess, I miss you so badly, every day. I love you!" Samantha put her hand up to the screen, but instead of reciprocating, Liara dropped her head and covered her face with her hands, sobbing.

A mechanical voice cut in, announcing one minute remaining, and Samantha cried out, "What? No! Goddess, Blue! Talk to me!"

Liara lifted her head and placed her hand on the screen in response. "I'll be waiting, Shepard. Come and we'll talk. It's all I can promise right now. Please understand. You've been gone for two years."

Samantha had just put her hand up against where Liara's hand was on the screen when time ran out and the screen went black. With bullets flying, 120 seconds seemed like an eternity; in love, twenty minutes passed in a flash. Sam stared at the blank screen that just seconds before had contained the essence of her love. Her heart screamed at her to take the Normandy straight to Illium, but her sense of duty told her no; she couldn't risk losing track of their potential recruits. Also, she couldn't tip her hand and show Cerberus how important Liara was too her. She wouldn't give them that leverage. It suddenly dawned on her that not once did Liara say the words 'I love you.' Sam creased her brow and pursed her lips in contemplation, but found no justifications. She stepped out in the hall in search of her mother.

"Mom, what the hell is going on with Liara? What didn't you tell me?" The pain in Sam's voice was evident, but Hannah didn't understand what had happened, her daughter should have been ecstatic.

As Sam explained about her conversation with Liara, realization dawned on Hannah's face. "Oh Sam, stop worrying! I just saw her in person and there is no doubt in my mind that girl loves you like there's no tomorrow. You just have to realize she's scared to death! To you, it was like yesterday. But to her? She lost you, she grieved for you for two years, not knowing where you were, what had happened to you. When you disappeared, she lost a piece of her soul. She just needs time to adjust and accept you're not a dream, sweetie." Hannah reached out and poked Sam in the chest as she said, "She needs You."

Hannah then told her daughter of all the things Liara had done to hunt down the evidence against Captain Mikhailovich, and the effort and personal money she spent on the search for Sam. Samantha was like a petulant child, "But why couldn't she say it, Mom? Why didn't she say she loved me? Why did she cry, instead?"

Hannah shook her head. "I don't know, hon. You'll just have to get your ass to Illium and ask her yourself."

* * *

Commander Shepard was pleased. The upgrades were coming along nicely and the ship that was already cutting edge continued to get better every day. Cerberus had collected some of the best technicians the galaxy had to offer and it showed. They had some armor upgrades to accomplish that couldn't be done in space, so Shepard was forcing the issue that they be done at Illium. That would give her three days to talk to Liara. And while Commander Shepard was doing well, Samantha Shepard was not. Since the video call with her bondmate, her emotions had been in turmoil and her nightmares returned with a vengeance. She was surviving on energy bars and coffee and she had to concentrate way too hard on keeping her temper in check. It didn't help that they had stopped in at Alchera and visited the crash site; she suffered flashbacks while on the planet and it brought everything back to the forefront in her mind. Shepard had recovered the required 'evidence' of the twenty missing Alliance crew and collected the dog tags off them all. She dropped a message to Councilor Anderson relaying the information, and promised to dropship everything at her earliest convenience, probably when they hit Illium. Garrus had been particularly quiet, and when pressed on the issue finally admitted to having been there with Liara right after the crash. It was difficult for Sam to hear, but it gave her a lot more insight into the distress her bondmate was suffering with her sudden reappearance. It provided another piece to the puzzle, but Garrus was still completely unforthcoming on what happened between him and Liara on Omega. His lack of cooperation was frustrating to say the least, and did nothing to reduce the irritated edge on Shepard's temper or allay her fears about the Shadow Broker.

When they got to Purgatory, Shepard took Miranda and Mordin to the prisoner pick-up. She briefly contemplated bringing Zaeed, but felt his history with the Blue Suns could cause unnecessary tension, since that's who ran the prison. Just the fact that Cerberus was 'buying' a prisoner rubbed Shepard the wrong way. It was rumored that many of the prisoners were sold to Batarian slavers if the prisoner's home world stopped paying for their upkeep. The situation already had explosive potential if Shepard saw any evidence of such sales, adding Zaeed to the mix just seemed an unnecessary risk. As the team boarded the ship, they were greeted by guards who stated Jack was being readied, and they'd be able to pick her up shortly. Shepard had flashbacks to Noveria as the guard continued. "As this is a high-security vessel, you'll need to relinquish your weapons before we proceed."

Shepard scoffed. "You don't want to know what happened to the last person who demanded this Council Spectre relinquish her weapon. Just know that it's not gonna happen." The guards reacted to the statement by drawing their weapons, which made the Normandy crew do the same.

The stand-off was brought quickly to a close when the Warden walked in and told everyone to stand down, introducing himself as Warden Kuril. The stand-off was over, but tensions definitely stepped up a notch, as the Warden continued speaking. "Your weapons will be returned on the way out. You must realize this is standard procedure."

Shepard glared at the Warden. "And what part of Spectre standard procedure of 'I don't give up my weapon to anyone' don't you get?"

The Warden looked the commander over very critically, and Shepard knew he was trying to gauge her resolve. It didn't take him long to figure out she was not bluffing in the slightest. He acquiesced, telling his guards to let them proceed. "Our facility is more than secure enough to handle three armed guests." Kuril then explained the process of bringing Jack out of cryogenic storage and that he would take them to Outprocessing where they could wait until the funds transfer was verified complete.

As they followed Kuril, he gave them a brief tour as they walked. He was very proud of their level of security and their capabilities to isolate individual inmates, especially troublemakers. He bragged about how many prisoners they handled and how quickly they could respond to problems, and how every once in a while they are forced to blow one such 'problem' out an airlock as an example to the rest of the population.

When Shepard asked specifically about Jack, Kuril made a tsking noise and flared his mandibles. "Cerberus hasn't told you? Jack is the meanest handful of violence and hate I've ever encountered. Dangerous, crazy, and very powerful. You'll see soon enough."

Miranda looked around and asked, "Have you ever had any escape attempts?"

Kuril laughed. "Nothing ever goes wrong here. We're in space...they have nowhere to go, and they know it. But still, we exercise extreme caution. These individuals are dangerous and we don't want anyone getting hurt. We have many ways to control the population." As he spoke those words, an altercation took place out on the floor. The team watched as a pylon extended upward and launched two control bubbles, independently surrounding and isolating each of the combatants.

Mordin watched, hands on his hips. "Impressive technology. Very useful application."

They came to a junction, and Warden Kuril said, "I'm going to confirm the funds from Cerberus have cleared. Outprocessing is straight down this hallway. Just keep going past the interrogation rooms and the supermax wing. I'll catch up with you later...Shepard." The team watched him split off and go down the other hall, then they walked in the direction the warden had indicated to them.

As they moved down the passageway, they approached the 'interrogation rooms.' The rooms had external speakers with an additional guard standing in the hallway listening in. Shepard assumed it was to act as a safeguard to ensure the interrogator did not go too far, but she was apparently wrong. As she watched, the inside guard beat a prisoner with no questions being asked; it was obviously a punishment of some kind, not an interrogation. Mordin complained, "Inhumane. Unacceptable. Violation of basic organic dignity!"

At first, Shepard was inclined to ignore it, but the next prisoner down called to her for attention, asking if they were there to buy prisoners. When Shepard queried what he was talking about, the prisoner replied, "Sometimes people buy cons so they can do some punishing of their own, if you understand what I'm saying. I'd like you to buy me... anything would be better than this place."

Shepard went fishing for clarification, "I thought this ship was a prison, not a market."

The prisoner shrugged, "If the host world quits paying the maintenance fee, the warden sells us to whoever can pay enough."

Shepard scowled, starting to question if the facility was a prison or a glorified slave market. She looked at the prisoner again and asked what was happening in the interrogation next door. The prisoner grimaced, then answered. "That's Bimmy. He offed someone in the showers yesterday. The guy he killed was worth a lot of creds to the Warden. Sucks to be Bimmy right now. Warden doesn't take kindly to anyone costing him money."

Shepard had heard enough, and returned to the prisoner who was being beaten and told the guard to stop. When the guard didn't take kindly to her suggestion, she shrugged her shoulders, saying what she knew would motivate him. "This guy already cost the Warden creds. You kill him, whose paycheck is that coming out of?" The guard looked at her, then called into the cell, "Knock it off. At least for now..." Shepard just shook her head and walked away in disgust, knowing she'd report it to the Alliance, but being out in the Terminus, there probably wasn't a lot they'd be able to do.

They finally found the section labeled Outprocessing and when they entered, a technician directed them down to a door on the far side of the room. Shepard had thanked him and started heading that way when Warden Kuril's voice was broadcast over a loudspeaker. "My apologies, Shepard. You're more valuable as a prisoner than a customer. Drop your weapons and proceed into this open cell. You will not be harmed."

Shepard drew her shotgun and shouted, "Go to hell. I'll send you there myself." Kuril's response to her answer was to activate the station's security systems and send armed guards to take the team into custody. The team ran for cover and got ready for the fight as they heard boots rapidly approaching down the corridor. The first round of guards brought Fenris mechs, basically mechanical guard dogs, very similar to what they had faced at Freedom's Progress.

Nothing too hard to handle, especially with Miranda's biotics and Mordin's incineration tech. Mordin happily yelled, "Incinerate! Will burn through any armor!"

As the first fight ended, Miranda pushed them forward. "We've got to get Jack out of cryo." The team moved into the hallway and headed toward the supermax wing. They encountered a second group of guards and Shepard's irritation at the whole situation built to a crescendo. Shepard pulled on her biotic charge and crashed into the pile of guards. She was unprepared when one of the guards pulled up tech armor at the last second, and rather than sending him flying, she actually bounced off and stumbled to the floor. Only a well-timed warp from Miranda kept her from serious injury. When they managed to get through the second group, they entered the cryo storage control room. As Miranda examined the control panel, she came to a horrible realization. "Shepard! If we hack that control, every single door in the cellblock opens!" Between the situation with Liara and Kuril being a slave trader and now trying to capture her, Shepard was ready to take the whole prison down, and really didn't care what prisoners were released and who died in the process.

She looked at Miranda and simply said, "Too bad. We're getting what we came here for. Be ready." They were all surprised when the cryopod opened to reveal a diminutive tattooed human female. They were even more surprised when that same female surged with a biotic power that enabled her to run right through three heavy mechs.

Miranda called out, "We've got to get down there!" By the time the team drew weapons and worked their way down the stairwell, explosions were rocking the station and there were sounds of heavy fighting echoing through the hallways. As they emerged into the cryo room, all they found were three destroyed mechs and a huge hole in the wall where the door used to be. The team pressed on, in pursuit of Jack, the psychotic biotic.

As they emerged into the next hallway, they heard Warden Kuril make an announcement. "All guards: Restore order! Lethal force authorized! But don't kill Jack! Techs: Lockdown! Lockdown!" They were moving quickly, but Jack was moving faster and had already cleared the long hallway they had just entered. Shepard got a bit of satisfaction when an automated voice reported that three sectors had lost life support and there were no survivors; that meant no violent prisoners would be escaping from those areas, and the slavers guarding those sections had paid with their lives. They emerged into a large open area and still saw no sign of Jack; the biotic was certainly fast. They encountered both guards and prisoners in the room, and they were all equally hostile and all equally dead by the time Shepard and her team advanced into the next passageway. Shepard was poetry in motion. There were no civilians or innocent bystanders to worry about. If it wasn't Jack or one of her team, she killed them; no second thoughts, no looking back, no regrets.

As they moved through the doorway, the computer voice issued a new warning and let them know the power plant was overloaded and the station was going to experience a core systems failure. Core failure meant the entire station would lose everything...artificial gravity, power, and life support; anyone left on the station at that time without a full envirosuit would be dead within an hour. Also, Kuril was yelling again, this time to lock down three additional prison blocks. He was rapidly losing control of his prison ship where nothing ever went wrong. Shepard sneered and pressed on. They entered another long room filled with guards, including a couple on an elevated platform; Shepard nailed both on the upper level with an incendiary shot to an explosive canister near them; the ensuing explosion blowing both of them across the room. The two on the ground level were relatively easy to eliminate and Shepard advanced her position with little difficulty. Another group of guards advanced on them, and the team worked to whittle them down. There was a large open space with lots of enemy crossfire; Shepard realized crossing the gap was going to be difficult with no cover so she did what any good Vanguard would do, she pulled on her biotics and charged. It was one of the longer charges she had ever accomplished, and it took her past a blind corner so all she could do was hope she got lucky.

Her luck did not hold. As she slammed into her target, two other guards popped up, accompanied by a heavy rocket mech. With the charge, Shepard had left Mordin and Miranda far behind with no hope of them being able to provide cover fire. She ducked quickly behind a barrier and started working on the guards, but every guard she took down gave the mech time to close the distance, limiting her options more and more with every step. She quickly swapped out her shotgun for her Locust submachine gun and started cutting into the mech's barrier while trying to avoid its rocket attacks. Mistiming one of her bursts, she took a direct rocket, completely dropping her shields and she was forced to duck into cover, allowing the mech to move forward unimpeded. With the mech so focused on Shepard, Miranda and Mordin were able to move up, and they blasted it with a warp and incineration blast at the same time. It staggered the mech just enough to cause a break in its firing pattern; Shepard took the opportunity to beat a hasty retreat to the next barrier back, allowing her shields time to regenerate.

Shepard moved to the upper level to get better coverage, but she took multiple shots during the transition, finally diving to cover behind a barrier wall. Grunting in pain, she stayed hidden behind the wall and applied medigel to her wounds, hoping her teammates contained the mech's movement enough to buy her sufficient time to complete her first aid. The number of guards in the room surged as reinforcements arrived, forcing the team to backtrack a bit to get better cover and prevent a flanking attempt. A guard had Mordin backed into a corner and Shepard pulled her biotics again and slammed into the enemy, allowing Mordin time to incinerate him. Keeping on the move, Shepard crossed a sky bridge with yet another charge and started working her way up the opposite side of the room. Her rapid movement up the far side of the room actually turned the tables, enabling her to reverse the flanking movement the guards had attempted. With fire from Mordin and Miranda coming from one side, Shepard was able to catch the guards in a deadly crossfire, finally clearing the room and enabling the team to take a quick breather and restock their thermal clip supplies.

Shepard knew they had made significant progress when she heard Kuril shout one more time. "All guards to Cellblock One!" They had reached the first cellblock within the facility; clear this last cellblock and they would be home free. As the trio rounded the corner, they saw yet another long room, just like the one they just had such difficulty traversing; it looked to be another long fight. Kuril was there, up on a high platform at the far end of the room. When he saw the team come in, he started talking. "You're valuable, Shepard. I could've sold you and lived like a king. But you're too much trouble." The Warden took a shot at them, forcing them into cover as he continued. "At least I can recapture Jack."

Shepard called him out, "Not happening! You're just a two-bit slave trader and I don't have time for it." Kuril was angry, "I do the hard things civil governments are unwilling to! This is for the good of the galaxy!" Shepard shook her head and looked at her team. "What is it with Turians and them thinking they all know what's best for the whole damn galaxy. He fucking sounds like Saren! Let's take his ass down and get outta here!" They exploded out of cover and spread out to begin working their way through the new room, just like the last.

When the team started progressing, the Warden activated a shield over his location, powered by four individual pylons, each in a separate corner of the room. Miranda quickly took the first down with a warp, but the other three were going to provide more of a challenge to get to. Shepard needed to cross another sky bridge to get to one on an upper platform. The crossing was relatively easy, but she faced heavy resistance once she reached the other side. Fortunately she had plenty of cover and she was able to methodically progress toward the second pylon and destroy it. Mordin was following her, and helped with some well placed incinerations, opening critical avenues of approach. The pylon closest to Kuril was defended by the guard captain. A warp from Miranda and a cryo shot from Mordin set up a perfect biotic charge scenario for Shepard and she took it. While the captain's shields were down, Shepard charged in, shattering the captain's partially frozen body into thousands of pieces.

Being so close to Kuril, Shepard had no time to rest. She immediately took off away from the Warden and dove behind cover where he couldn't get a shot in on her. Completely by chance, her cover maneuver also put her easily within range of the last power pylon, which she quickly destroyed. With it gone, Kuril no longer had the special shielding over his platform and he became just another soldier with standard shields and armor. It wasn't long before the combined firepower of the Normandy team finished him off. Shepard glanced up at the elevated hallway where they first entered the facility and saw Jack running toward the exit. She called it out to her team and they made a run for the Normandy.

* * *

Jack couldn't believe her good fortune; some idiot actually released her from cryo and there wasn't a guard in the room, just three clunky mechs. She undid her fastenings and called up her biotic shockwave. As she dove forward right into the middle of them, she released all her power, throwing each of the three mechs to different corners of the room, crumpling them like foil against the bulkheads. She charged the door and slammed through it with the same power. She was determined that nothing was going to slow her down on her path to freedom. She didn't even give the guards a chance; after the beating and mistreatment they had given her since her incarceration, every corner she came around she already had her shockwave primed. She would step around the corner and let it rip, running through the wide open wake the shockwave left behind. Her progress was swift, and the prison had a hard time keeping up with her progress. She ran past a control room and launched a shockwave into it just for grins, and was rewarded by an automated voice announcing life support failure for three sectors. _Fuckers! Serves 'em right!_ She kept on running.

As Jack passed the central hub, she launched another shockwave blindly into the room, and was again rewarded with an announcement. This time she had disabled some buffers, and it resulted in a pending central core overload. Jack hoped to find a way off the station, but if she didn't, as long as every guard and prisoner on board died along with her, she was ok with that. Her face lit with a feral grin and she kept on running.

She was getting close to the exit now, she could tell. She heard Kuril tell them not to kill her. _Idiots_. It just gave her that much more of an advantage as she worked her way to the docking bays. Jack ran into the main foyer for the prison. It was the large room where the Normandy crew had faced down the first two guards who wanted to 'relieve' them of their weapons. Those two were now the only thing between Jack and her freedom. Instead of a shockwave, Jack used biotic pulls, yanking them both off their feet and slamming them into bulkheads. She looked out the window at the docked vessel that was to be her salvation and screamed in frustration. "Cerberus!" She threw her arms around in frustration, her entire body glowing in biotics. The one organization in the galaxy which had been responsible for her imprisonment and torture as a child was the one that was here, probably buying her from that damn Warden. While she ranted, she suddenly caught sight of a guard approaching from the side, but before she could even react, a shot rang out and the guard fell dead to the floor.

She turned toward where the shot originated and saw an auburn-haired female soldier with a huge gun pointed at her head... the minute Jack turned and faced her, the soldier pulled the barrel up and holstered her SMG. Jack stared at her and asked, "What the hell do you want?"

"My name is Shepard, and I'm here to get you off this ship."

Jack was having none of it, "I'm not going anywhere with you. You're Cerberus."

Shepard had no idea of Jack's prior relationship with the organization, so asked, "What does it matter if I'm with Cerberus?" Jack was surprisingly accommodating, "They been on my ass for years. Anytime I get free, they put a huge bounty on me. That's why Warden Kuril figured he'd struck gold when he caught me."

Miranda, of course, couldn't resist jumping up and defending Cerberus. "She's destroyed Cerberus property and killed Cerberus people. Hence the bounty."

Eyeballing Miranda, Jack simply responded, "You die first."

Shepard figured maybe honesty was the best policy, so tried that route. "I'm working with Cerberus for now because they can help me."

Jack was not impressed. "With them, for them... I don't care. You show up in a Cerberus frigate to take me away somewhere. You think I'm stupid?"

Shepard pressed the only advantage she knew she had. "This ship is going down in flames. We can get you to safety, and we're asking you for your help."

Miranda again offered to help the situation, "We could just knock her out and take her."

Jack laughed, "I'd like to see you try."

Shepard had enough, "Lawson, shut it! You're not helping. We're not going to attack her."

Jack appreciated Shepard's comment, "Good move. Look, you want me to come with you, make it worth my while." Shepard stepped forward, "Tell me what you're thinking."

Jack was happy to explain her terms, "I bet your ship's got lots of Cerberus databases. I want to look at those files. See what Cerberus has on me. You want me on your team, let me go through those databases."

Shepard agreed, "I'll give you full access."

Miranda stepped in with a protest, "Shepard, you're not authorized to do that!"

Jack laughed again, "Ooohhhh, it upsets the cheerleader...even better. You better be straight up with me." Shepard nodded her head in agreement and Jack continued, "So why the hell are we still standing here?"

* * *

After the vid call, Liara paced around the room, staring at the floor and repeatedly banging herself on the forehead in frustration at how she could have such difficulty expressing her emotions verbally. Even with Samantha, because they had become so adept at melding, Liara was still a cripple when it came to using words to express how she felt. They just always 'showed' one another. Liara had been totally unable to comfort her bondmate; instead, she had caused her additional distress.

_By the Goddess! How could I have been so unprepared? I am such an idiot! I should have known she would ask that! Why did I not tell her I love her?_ When Hannah sent her the message that it was going to happen, Liara had been so excited she completely failed to get ready, to put her thoughts together. She had entered the call blind and emotional and made a mess of it. She had been overjoyed to see Samantha, but then she was shocked at how viscerally Shepard had reacted to seeing her. Sam had been so dazed just by the sound of Liara's voice that she literally collapsed in a chair, unable to speak. When her shock wore off, she was so excited she couldn't contain herself. Liara had been completely overcome by the moment and hardly said anything in the entire twenty minutes, and then when she did speak, she didn't say the right things. It was like she was once again the shy archeologist with absolutely no experience in social situations.

Then, Sam had closed the distance between them by approaching the screen and reaching out, trying to make contact over the light-years of distance between them, and Liara had been overwhelmed. She could only bury her face in her hands and cry, only coming out of her stupor when she heard the one-minute-remaining warning. When she finally put her hand on the screen they had almost run out of time and what had Liara offered? Love? Hope? No, Liara's final words to her loved one had been "Please understand. You've been gone two years." _What in the name of the Goddess was that?_

Liara could stand in a room of a thousand people and give an hour-long lecture without missing a beat, but she couldn't make it through a twenty minute conversation with her bondmate and remember to tell her that she loved her! _Goddess! I never even called her by her first name! What was I thinking?_ It was only twenty minutes, but it was twenty minutes she could never get back and it was twenty minutes she may regret for the remainder of a very, very long lonely life.


	6. Pursuit of Excellence

The first stop after Jack's 'liberation' was the Normandy briefing room. Miranda welcomed her and tried to impress upon her that onboard people followed orders. Jack was having none of it, and spoke only to Shepard, referring to Miranda in the third-person as the Cerberus Cheerleader, even though she was in the room. Jack also made it clear that she expected the Cerberus files, and soon, or they might get to learn how much damage she could cause on the inside of the frigate. As she departed to go find quarters, Miranda gave Shepard a look of disgust and went to follow her out. Shepard called her back before she was able to leave the briefing room. "Miranda. A word, please?" As Miranda stopped and turned around, Shepard continued. "First things first. Don't ever question me in the field again unless I'm doing something so stupid it's going to get someone killed." Miranda went to say something, and Shepard stopped her with a raised hand. "You can't read my mind; you have no idea what I'm thinking...I could be bluffing. That incident with Jack... it was very obvious she has severe issues with Cerberus and your actions inflamed an already tense situation. It could have gotten someone hurt, or killed. I'm sorry I was abrupt, or even rude, but I was trying to diffuse a biotic who I think was considering warping you back to the prison blocks."

This time Miranda did interrupt, "So you were bluffing about the files?"

Shepard sighed, "Partially, but the point is you didn't know. I want to give her files, but just stuff that pertains to her. I have no intention of giving her independent access to any of our online systems, including the database. I want you to select what's releasable. And before you say 'nothing,' consider the fact that TIM provided her dossier, and I'm sure he anticipated what her conditions might be, and he did say convincing them to join our cause was up to me. I want to see copies of anything you give her. Any questions on that?"

Miranda shook her head and said, "Understood, Commander." It was apparent she was still a bit ticked off, whether it was because of Jack or the way Shepard spoke to her was hard to tell.

Shepard decided to mollify her a bit. "Good. Next topic. You're very intelligent and can be very matter-of-fact. That's great with Salarians, and may be fine if you're operating in a small lab as a project lead, but that won't necessarily work with an operational crew. It's going to give you a 'cold-heart bitch' or 'ice queen' label pretty quickly. See if you can find it in yourself to be a bit more... diplomatic... count to three before you talk, try to think how the other person will hear it, whatever it takes. Stress on this mission is going to be high enough, without us irritating each other. I've seen the caring, concerned person you hide under your protective shell, and I'm pretty sure I like her. Let her out to play a little more often... I think she'll take you farther than you realize. Good so far?"

Miranda just stared at her for a moment, not really sure what to say. _Caring? Concerned?_ "I...Thank you, Shepard. I think... I'm not really sure I'll be able to do that with Jack, but I promise to try. Anything else, Commander? I have a lot to do and really should get back to work."

Shepard grimaced. "Yeah. One more thing and I know you're not going to like it. I've given Mordin instruction to remove any monitoring devices he finds..."

The commander didn't get to finish, as Miranda responded heatedly, "You told him to do that? You realize those devices were installed at the direction of the Illusive Man? This whole operation is expensive and he's protecting his investment! You had no right..."

This time, Shepard cut Miranda off. "Stand down, Operative Lawson. He does not have a right to invade the crew's personal liberties. I am not removing anything from public space, but he is not going to spy on people in their personal quarters. If it is an area where someone changes, sleeps, showers, whatever, the devices are coming out. Not up for discussion. He has plenty of Cerberus crew like you and Ms Chambers, to report on crew activities. He does not need video and audio tapes of what I consider our private lives. Privacy is limited enough onboard ship without worrying about a camera over my bed. And on that note, if I ever catch you lying to me again, XO or not, you'll find your ass deposited on the next planet with a shuttle terminal to find your own damn way home. Am I clear?"

Miranda was shocked. Shepard thought the look on her face was priceless until she found out the real reason why. Miranda's face grew pale as she started to speak, "I...Shepard. I had no idea. Honestly. There should not have been a camera over your bed. I... I don't even know what to say. I'll show you the feeds I have listed, and ... there should not be one there. Not that I was made aware of." Miranda paused for a moment before continuing. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry! When you asked me directly, I would have told you. I won't lie to you Shepard."

Shepard looked at her XO and ordered, "The lab, Lawson. Now." She got up and walked out. Miranda sat there for a moment, stunned, before she jumped up and followed Shepard to the lab as instructed.

Once they were in the lab with the doors closed, the commander walked over to the professor. "Mordin, you need to hear this." Shepard's brow wrinkled with concern as she asked Miranda, "So you're telling me there are devices on this ship that even you are not aware of?"

Miranda was shaking her head in disbelief. "Apparently so, Commander. I'm sure the Illusive Man must know about them and will be angry that they ceased functioning, but I don't believe he'll ask me to fix something he never made me aware of. With your permission, I'd like to work with Mordin to find out exactly where he removed the devices from... "Miranda just trailed off, thinking what she really wanted to do was have Mordin scan her room as well. She wasn't sure if she'd have Mordin remove anything he found, but she wanted to know if the Illusive Man felt it necessary to monitor her activities. Miranda was suddenly afraid of what conversations had already been recorded and sent to the Illusive Man. Did he know she'd already defied one of his orders? _Oh God. What do I do now?_

"Mordin, map the locations of all monitoring devices on the ship, include those you removed and those you found but left. When you're done, compare what you have with Miranda's registered feeds. I'll be interested in that comparison, so inform me of any discrepancies you find." Shepard's focus shifted to Miranda, "Apparently your Illusive Man isn't as much a straight-shooter as you believed, is he? Thanks, guys. I'll be waiting for your report."

* * *

"Hey Karin! Busy?" The doctor turned to see a rather upbeat commander stepping into her med bay. "Just reviewing some medical reports, Commander. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Just doing crew rounds, and saved you for last. Thought maybe two old friends would have a bit to talk about...especially now that Mordin has removed the surveillance equipment from your med bay. God knows why TIM wanted video of every crewman getting naked for a physical. That man makes my skin crawl."

Karin's face showed an unusual flash of anger. "Yes, well. Other than a gross breach of Doctor-Patient confidentiality, I also take offense to the lack of trust in my accurately reporting crew medical readiness status."

Shepard grimaced. "Yeah, well, I might start to at least give him some grudging respect if he ever showed us any. All I've seen from him are new and better ways to use and abuse us. Anyway! Didn't come here to complain about TIM...I came to chat with my friend Karin."

Karin smiled. "If this is a social visit... You know...I regretted not drinking my original bottle of Serrice Ice when I still could. I'd very much like to avoid making the same mistake again. Would you join me in some brandy, Samantha?"

Shepard laughed. "Now that sounds like a plan! You grab the bottle, I'll get the glasses!"

The two friends chatted easily into the evening hours, Shepard happy to have the travel time to Korlus to relax a little. The two friends reminisced about the old days, on the Fuji and then on the original Normandy, and eventually talked of the expected horrors in front of them on the SR-2. Karin was grieving over some of the doctors she knew at the field clinics in the colonies that had gone dark, and Shepard reflected that because of her two-year absence, she hardly knew where any of her friends were, so didn't even know who to morn. Karin looked at her friend sadly. "I'm sorry, Samantha. I know this has got to be difficult for you. To readjust your whole life after two years passed you by. At least your mother and Liara are still with us." At her last words, even in her slightly inebriated state, Karin saw a stricken look pass over the commander's face. "Dear God. Samantha. What's happened?"

Samantha downed her glass and refilled it before answering. "I have no idea, Karin. My mom is great, but something's happened to Liara. God, that's sounds awful. I mean...she's ok, at least physically, but something is going on that she won't tell me about." Samantha then told her everything ... about the meeting with TIM and then the conversation with her mom, ending with the vid call with Liara. Sam sighed. "Mom says she loves me, but I think she's moved on, Karin. And now I'm forcing her to come to grips with the fact that I haven't. I mean, you don't just stop loving someone when they die, but that doesn't mean you stay 'in love' with them anymore." Sam sighed and stood up. "Thanks for the brandy, Karin, but I... I've gotta go." Sam was out of the med bay before Karin even managed to get out of her chair to say goodbye. Karin drew a shuddering breath, afraid to even contemplate the outcome of the mission if Samantha lost the one thing in the galaxy she truly felt was worth fighting for. She sat down at her terminal and typed out a short note to Hannah before retiring for the evening.

Returning to her cabin, Sam picked up her desk chair and threw it across the room in frustration, letting out a primal yell. Edi's voice chimed into the cabin, "Commander Shepard? I have detected unusual activity in your room. Do you require assistance?"

Sam stopped dead in her tracks and ran her fingers through her hair, then interlaced her fingers on the top of her head and growled out a response, "No, Edi. I'm fine. Just angry. I'll get over it."

Edi volunteered assistance. "If you are experiencing anger issues, I can dispatch Yeoman Chambers..."

Samantha did not let her finish. "No! Absolutely not! Matter of fact, just note this now. That woman in not authorized in my private chambers. Ever. Is that clear?"

Edi answered promptly, "Understood, Commander. Is there anything I can do for you, then?"

Sam sighed, "No Edi, just leave me alone for at least six hours. I'm going to get some sleep."

"Understood, Commander. Signing you out."

Sam threw herself down on the bed in disgust. Even with all the cameras and microphones removed, she still didn't have privacy in her own damn room. She was glad they would be at Korlus tomorrow, and she hoped it wasn't a simple mission; she felt like she needed something to shoot. She tried to think what she would write as her first message to Liara, and was totally unable to come up with anything that didn't sound either extremely distant or extremely desperate. She fell asleep still dwelling on the issue and no closer to any answers. It was no surprise when she tossed herself out of the bed as a result of another nightmare. This one was particularly troublesome. Shepard was used to dreaming about her final moments, and had usually managed to turn her thoughts to the beach on Thessia, just as she had done in real time. However, this dream left her shaken and wide awake, with no hope of returning to sleep. She had actually been at the escape pod with Liara and her last vision was of Liara slamming the door in her face with words echoing in her helmet, "Sorry, Shepard. No room for you..." She was then thrown into fire by the explosive blast launching the escape pod away from her.

* * *

Shepard put boots on the ground on Korlus with Miranda, Mordin and Zaeed. Even though Mordin had more research to complete on the Collector's stasis weapon, he was about to have three uninterrupted days while they did the armor refit in dry-dock. The commander took this as an off-ship opportunity to discuss TIM's monitoring systems on the Normandy and to push Miranda farther down the path of playing nice with others. When the time came at the end of the mission to steal the Normandy and pass it over to the Alliance, Shepard hoped to have the XO's faith in the Illusive Man well shaken by then; maybe even enough for her to actually go along with the plan.

On Korlus, they would most likely be facing Blue Suns mercs, so Zaeed had really pressed her to be on the mission, and Shepard saw no reason to refuse him; he was a good gun, reliable and fast. He had proven himself more than once on the Omega mission. As they dropped out of the shuttle and ducked behind cover, a loudspeaker barked out instructions. "There is only one measure of success: kill or be killed! Perfection is your goal."

Zaeed chuckled, "All right! Looks like there's some killing to be done, then!"

Shepard glanced at her team, "Stay focused and remember we're looking for a Krogan warlord. Try not to shoot him." As the next announcement rang out over the loudspeaker, Shepard had flashbacks to Virmire. The mystery voice spoke about earning a place in a mighty army, and Shepard immediately pictured rows of cloning tanks and the Krogan, Doctor Droyas. _Only this time I don't have a whole team of Salarians and an improvised nuke. Hope this turns out better than Virmire did..._

Shepard couldn't believe how much junk was piled everywhere; the planet's description as 'a garbage scow with a climate,' was pretty darn accurate. However, it did provide lots of cover as they advanced along the pathways. Mordin interrupted her ruminations when he called out, "Lookout position, equipped for combat." There were only three guards, who went down pretty quickly, so the team advanced easily into the compound. As they rolled over a small hill, they found a fourth merc who had been injured, cussing because he thought he was going to bleed out. Miranda and Shepard looked at one another and shrugged; he really wasn't in that bad of shape, but they had no desire to tell him that. As they approached, he started rambling about them not being berserkers, and then clammed up, saying he wasn't going to tell them anything.

Shepard glared at him. "You're not in the best bargaining position. I'm looking for a Krogan Warlord named Okeer."

The wounded merc shook his head, "Who? You already know more than I do, unless it's the old guy in the lab. He dumps crazy Krogan down here all the time. Our job is to kill them."

The team had to laugh when Mordin quipped, "Does not know the meaning of 'won't tell you anything.' Apparently delirious."

With that, the merc glared at Mordin, "They don't pay me enough to goddamn bleed out!"

Shepard waved her omnitool in front of him... "I have medigel if I get the rest of the story..."

The merc nodded, "Fine. I don't give a shit about their little project. Jedore hired him to make her an army, but the Krogan he creates are insane, so we use them for live fire practice." Suddenly the mercs radio came to life, asking for directions toward a Krogan pack.

Shepard glared at him as she spoke. "You heard the man. He needs directions. Make sure they're good ones if you want to live past the next minute."

The merc's eyes got wide and Shepard knew her message got through. He got on the radio and sent them off on a wild goose chase to clear the path toward the labs. Shepard complimented him on his wisdom and asked, "What's Jedore planning to do with all these Krogan?"

The merc grimaced. "Replace us probably. Wouldn't want to see an army of them coming at me. But they're crazy, she can't control them."

Shepard nodded, "So where's the lab and what's between here and there?"

The merc laughed, "There's big anti-ship guns, but once you're on the ground there's crap. We're not outfitted to fight goddamn commandos. Just follow the path up. When you get to the top, you find the lab."

"Alright. You fulfilled your end of the bargain." Shepard dosed him with medigel and told him to go find a shady spot to sit out the rest of the fight. The minute he turned to shuffle off, Shepard knocked him out and took his radio, throwing it to Zaeed.

Zaeed nodded in agreement, "Was wondering if you were gonna let him rat us out. Answers that question."

Shepard stepped off to continue up the hill, "Come on, folks. Daylights wasting!" They didn't progress far when they came up against another outpost with a couple more mercs. Four against two wasn't very fair, but that was the pattern through the next three lookout positions. Shepard knew it would happen eventually, and she knew it did when the radio she had tossed to Zaeed barked again with someone looking for Team 4. The next announcement was to tell Jedore there was a problem because patrols were going dark. Shepard grinned, "Well, kids, looks like we've been found out. Things might start to get interesting!"

As they approached the fifth lookout post, they found a lot more Blue Suns waiting for them, including a couple of guys with rocket launchers. As one of the rockets curled around to crash into Shepard and throw her onto her back, she realized they were _guided_ rocket launchers. Time momentarily froze for Shepard. Sometimes her mind picked the most inconvenient times for flashbacks, but she suddenly thought of the fight on Peak 15 when she had been caught off guard by a Geth Shock trooper and it flattened her just like that rocket had done. As she bounced back up onto her feet, she fully expected the same cuff on the back of her head for not paying better attention...and her chest ached at the thought of Blue not being there to deliver it. Her throat got tight and she shook her head to clear her misting eyes, brought back to the present by Miranda asking if she was ok. Shepard grunted, "Yeah, just knocked the wind out of me for a sec. Let's move!"

The team passed through a relatively narrow passageway and when it opened back up into a room on the far side, they found a group of Blue Suns shooting at one of the supposed 'crazy Krogans.' When they rolled in and started helping the Krogan, the Blue Suns team lead called out, "Code Six! Off-world presence! Shift fire from the Krogan! Hostiles in the compound!" In response, the mystery voice came over the loudspeaker once again. Shepard assumed it was Jedore, as the voice intoned, "We have guests in the compound. If they're not killed immediately, all bonuses will be denied!"

Busy killing mercs, Shepard still had to laugh at her team's banter. Mordin yelled out, "Financial motivation. Generally good tactic for mercs!"

Miranda followed up with, "Yeah, too bad it's not good for us!"

And Zaeed brought it home with, "We just made ourselves enemy number one, Shepard! Every paid merc in this entire compound now wants us dead."

Shepard actually grinned as she responded to them all, "At least we won't have to hunt them down now. They'll be coming to us!" After they finished off the Blue Suns, Shepard put away her SMG and approached the Krogan unarmed.

Miranda swung out to the side with her pistol drawn and whispered through clenched teeth, "Shepard! Are you crazy?" The commander did not respond, focusing on the Krogan that approached her.

To her surprise, the Krogan stopped and sniffed her. "You...are different. New. You don't smell like this world. Seven night cycles, and I have felt only the need to kill. But you...something makes me speak."

After speaking with the Krogan for a bit, they discovered he was tank-bred. The Krogans emerged from the tanks full-size and received some type of subliminal training while they grew. This particular Krogan had been released from the tank because he was not perfect, but had no idea what 'perfect' was. Mordin commented, "A breeding program. Trying to escape Genophage effects?"

The Krogan looked at Mordin and answered, "Escape? Escape was never whispered. Survive. Resist. Ignore. Survival is what I hear in my head. Against the enemy that threatens all my kind. But I failed even before waking."

Shepard asked the Krogan about the lab and speaking to Okeer. The Krogan didn't have much information, other than the lab was 'up.' He then moved a huge metal plate out of the way for them and opened up a new passageway, but he would not go with them. He said, "I will fight if they come. I kill, but only here. I am not perfect, but I have purpose. I must wait until called. Released." Shepard felt bad for the Krogan, knowing that its 'purpose' was live target practice, but had nothing to offer the Krogan that would convince it otherwise. Her only solace would be in destroying the lab that produced such subservient creatures; with that thought in mind, she pressed the team forward.

Once on the other side of the wall, the passages seemed narrower, and knowing the Code Six had been announce they anticipated meeting heavy resistance. Shepard heard a merc call out, "They're loose! Run for your damn life! They're all free!" She immediately pulled out her shotgun and expected things to get very interesting as they cleared the next turn. After clearing two mercs, they ran headlong into heavily armored Krogan. While the commander and Zaeed were the heavy hitters, Shepard was very happy to have Mordin's incinerate tech skill and Miranda's warp. After they managed to work their way through the Krogan charge, the radio chattered again, "Krogan took down the grid! We're blind and getting hit on all sides! Where are the heavies?" That put Shepard on alert, and once again she wished she had Liara and her barrier at her back. She had no desire to run into mercs with heavy weapons, but it seemed they had no option.

As they popped through the next doorway, they found the rocket troops and got bombarded before they could even find cover. Shepard took two shots in rapid succession, the first dropping her shields and the second knocking her on her ass. She grunted in pain, rolling behind a low wall for cover, and fought to stay conscious. Liara would be furious at her for not wearing her helmet. She figured she probably had a concussion, as she was experiencing slight tunnel vision. Miranda slid in beside her, providing cover fire, and prevented her from getting up. Once the rocket troops were down, she left Mordin and Zaeed to handle the regular mercs and looked down to take care of the commander. Shepard saw actual concern in Miranda's face as she started her exam, and while she didn't have time to think about that right now, she filed that fact away for later contemplation. Miranda stuck a hypo-spray onto Shepard's neck and injected something and the commander felt her blood sing and her vision immediately cleared. "What the hell was that?"

Miranda laughed, "Never mind, you wouldn't recognize the name anyway...just think of it as some really concentrated caffeine. It's good for a couple hours, but then you're going to crash, so let's get this done, shall we?" She stood up and offered the commander a hand. Shepard hesitated for just a moment before taking the assist. Shepard smiled and clapped Miranda on the shoulder in thanks. She was surprised when she got an honest smile in return, one that actually made it all the way to Miranda's eyes. _The ice queen thaws!_

After they made it past the rocket brigade, the next couple of levels just had regular mercs, which the foursome made relatively quick work of. Shepard got to play ping pong a couple of times, enjoying the Vanguard charge and her close-up shotgun kills. Shepard knew they had made serious progress when she heard a call for reinforcements that included everyone out of the labs. The chatter wording was "Every floor, every outpost! Move!" Shepard grinned...they had the Blue Suns' backs to the wall. The next level had a couple more rocket troops, but Shepard quickly discovered the best way to handle them was to let the rockets fly, then charge. They were totally unprepared for close-up or hand-to-hand and easily dispatched, with the charge taking away every advantage of the long distance rockets.

They cleared yet one more level and ran out of steps. They had finally reached the upper level, which was crawling with Blue Suns. Shepard had to pay back the favor when Miranda took a hard hit and went down. Shepard slid in beside her to provide cover and ensure she got medigel and whatever else she needed. When she got her breath back, she sat up and gently gripped Shepard's arm and earnestly said, "Thank you, Shepard."

It was Shepard's turn to stand and offer an assist up. "No worries, Miranda. Looks like we're starting to actually develop as a team." Miranda actually blushed at the compliment.

As they cleared one last door, Shepard came to a screeching halt. Of all people, before her stood Rana Thanoptis, from Saren's lab at Virmire. "Shepard! Don't shoot! You know me! I shut down the security cams as soon as I saw it was you. Never thought I'd say it, but I'm glad it's you shooting up the place!"

Shepard just shook her head. "I assume you have a good reason for being at this lab?"

Rana nodded, "Don't worry; I'm not wasting the chance you gave me. My work here is strictly beneficial! Not for the mercs. Jedore's on a power trip, but Okeer is trying to do something good... even if his methods are a little extreme."

Shepard narrowed her eyes. "It's just odd that you keep showing up at places where the methods are a little extreme. I've had this discussion before about a right way and a wrong way to do things. The ends do not always justify the means. What exactly is Okeer trying to do?"

Rana heard the implied threat loud and clear, "I just created the mental imprinting routine to educate the Krogan...but most don't get through it. Okeer dumps them for some reason. He's not looking for a Genophage cure, and he's not going for numbers, that's all I know."

"So once again, you're working on a project that you don't totally understand. You don't even know his end goals?" Shepard was not pleased with Rana's excuses.

Rana didn't help her cause, "So, maybe I'm not the best example of moral research, but give me a little credit for trying. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to run like hell before you blow the place up. I know how you work."

Mordin glanced at Shepard, "Should have killed her. Too much knowledge without ethical boundaries." Shepard had been on the borderline of that decision and Mordin's comment pushed her over the edge. She activated her omnitool.

Zaeed was outside the door when he got the buzz. "Z-man. That Asari doesn't leave alive." Shepard's answer was the rattle of Zaeed's assault rifle.

As the team entered into the next room, they all saw a Krogan scientist and a single large breeding tank with what appeared to be a full-grown Krogan inside. The scientist spoke as they entered the room. "It's about time. I've watched your progress. The batteries on these tanks will not wait while you play with these idiotic mercs."

Shepard furrowed her brow, "Don't you want to know who I am before you start making demands?"

Shepard was surprised at Okeer's next statement, "I know you, Shepard. Your own demands will come, I'm sure. You weren't dragged back from death because someone needed a diplomat." He turned and looked at the commander. "Surprised? All Krogan know you. I'm sure Rana has already revisited your actions on Virmire."

Shepard scowled, "She won't be revisiting Virmire ever again...Trust me, you don't want to either. I did what I had to do."

If the Krogan could smile, Okeer made his best attempt at one, "Ah, but you misjudge me, Shepard. I approve! Saren's pale horde was not true Krogan. The mistake of an outsider; the same one these mercenaries have made. I gave Jedore my rejects, but she grows impatient. It's time for you to take me out of here."

As he gestured outward, Shepard followed Warlord Okeer's glance out of the loft to the main room below. She saw a room filled with at least thirty breeding tanks and still wondered how this was any different than Virmire. Mordin spoke abruptly, "Personal issues irrelevant. Here for the Collectors."

Okeer was dismissive and stated, "I see. Yes, Collector attacks have increased. A human concern. My requests were focused elsewhere. I acquired the knowledge to create one pure soldier. With that, I will inflict upon the Genophage the greatest insult an enemy can suffer. To be ignored."

Mordin's comment refocused Shepard, she addressed the Krogan, "Your methods are extreme; you are willing to let thousands die or be gunned down by Jedore's mercs to get just one soldier. But I need your information on the Collectors. If I promise you safe passage, will you join us?"

Okeer nodded. "Perhaps we can strike a deal, but my prototype is non-negotiable. It is the key to my legacy." Miranda visibly bristled at the Krogan's statement and Shepard understood why; Okeer's comments bore a striking similarity to how Miranda had described her father as a genetic manipulator to secure his 'dynasty.'

Before the commander could address it, Jedore was on the loudspeaker again, "I've traced the Krogan release to Okeer, of course. I'm calling 'blank slate' on this project. Gas the commandos and flush the tanks!"

As gas started venting into the lab, Okeer shouted at Shepard, "She's so weak-willed she'll kill my legacy with a damn valve! If you want your Collector information, you will stop her!"

Shepard rolled out of the lab at top speed, her team in trail, and ran down the steps to the main floor. As soon as they entered the tank room, Shepard called her biotic charge and slammed into Jedore, only to realize she was heavily shielded and accompanied by an armored heavy mech. Her team was right behind her and Miranda warped the merc, dropping her shields, while Mordin launched an incineration attack on the mech's armor. Without her shields, Zaeed was more than happy to drop the Blue Suns leader on the spot. The team's initial assault was so fast, Jedore never got a shot off. The mech was a different story and was busy rattling away with both a Gatling gun and rockets. Fortunately, the room provided a lot of cover, and the four organics were a lot more mobile than the clunky mech, so they easily flanked it. Once Mordin burned its armor off, Shepard called another charge and slammed into the mech, driving it backward. Mordin followed up with a quick cryoblast and Shepard promptly shattered the mech to pieces with a point-blank shotgun blast.

Before the ice pieces even stopped bouncing, Miranda called out, "Shepard! Alarms in the lab! What the hell is Okeer doing back there?" The team turned on their heels and beat a hasty return to Okeer and his precious legacy. As they bounded up the steps, Edi cut in on their comm channel, attempting to answer Miranda's question, "The alarms coincided with a systems failure. The remaining lab systems are unprotected, and I have gained only limited access. According to lab scanners, the room is flooded with toxins and Okeer's person life signs are failing rapidly."

As they attempted to open the door, a computerized voice rang out, "Contamination detected. Emergency vent in progress." Shepard banged on the door control panel in frustration, "Open, damn you!" The door finally slid open when the computerized voice announced, "Decontamination complete."

When they finally got into the room, they heard Okeer speaking, and Shepard had hope. As they approached, they realized it was a recording and the actual Krogan lie dead on the floor. The vid looped in the background, "Shepard, if I knew why the Collectors wanted humans, I would tell you. But everything is in my prototype. My legacy is pure. This...one soldier, this grunt. Perfect."

Shepard walked up and kicked Okeer's body, "Goddammit!" Mordin and Miranda were speaking about the prototype, but Shepard tuned them out, pacing back and forth trying to figure out what to do. Suddenly she stopped and stared at the tank. Getting on the comm, she asked Edi if one of the cargo bays could be configured to provide the necessary power to sustain the tank. After a very brief evaluation, Edi responded to the positive and Shepard nodded, "Good. Joker, Okeer is a no go, but we have a package that needs retrieval...and he's a big one."

* * *

In the Normandy conference room, Miranda and Jacob debated on what to do with the Krogan. Miranda was concerned, "Bringing the Krogan on board for study makes sense, but I hope Shepard has no intention of waking it."

Jacob just sighed, "Yeah, you've said that a few times now."

As Shepard walked in, Miranda looked at her as she spoke, "A normal Krogan is dangerous. This one was created and educated by a madman."

Shepard crossed her arms. "I see everyone's excited about our new paperweight. I have to admit, I wish I asked Thanoptis a bit more about the education program, but too late for that now."

Miranda followed up, "Exactly! We don't know anything about it!"

Shepard laughed, "I know! Don't you find that exciting? A challenge to be tackled? Where's your sense of adventure, Lawson?"

Jacob just shook his head in amazement at the commander while Miranda continued to press her point, "Krogan fight well at close quarters. Perhaps awakening him in a confined space wouldn't be prudent."

Shepard grinned, "And I'm a Vanguard. Love to get up close and personal myself. A match made in heaven."

Lawson's jaw dropped. "Surely you're joking, Commander!"

Shepard was still grinning. "Absolutely...not! He's either a ticking time bomb or an incredible ally. I prefer to find out sooner rather than later. So, if you care to accompany me, I'm headed to the cargo bay." As they rode down in the elevator, Shepard made it very clear they were to stay back and let her handle waking the Krogan. She instructed them to take no action against him unless he actually caused her physical harm. "I've worked with Krogan before. He's going to get physical; he's going to make contact. As long as we are still talking, take no aggressive actions at all. If you can't refrain, don't come in. Understood?" All three entered the room, but Miranda and Jacob held back at the door.

As Shepard approached the tank, Edi came online and informed her the integration of the tank into the shipboard systems had been seamless and the Krogan was stable. Shepard was all business. "I assume you mean physically stable. Is he aware of his surroundings at all?"

"Current neural patterns indicate minimal cognition. Barring ship-wide power loss, the nutrients in the tank should sustain him for over a year."

Shepard walked around the tank, examining what she could of the Krogan before opening up the pod. "Yeah, that won't be necessary because we're gonna crack the egg."

Edi responded, "Cerberus protocol is very clear regarding untested technology."

Shepard countered, "He's not 'technology.' He's a Krogan, and he's either friendly or not. He's too valuable to leave, and too dangerous to just have hanging out as an unknown quantity. I am opening the tank. Stand by."

Shepard approached the control panel and activated the birthing protocols. She stepped back from the tank as it started draining the nutrient fluid. As the tank emptied, the glass cover lifted up and the restraining bands released the Krogan. He fell forward out of the tank, landing on his knees, and coughed the fluid out of his lungs. As he stood, Shepard approached slowly. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he charged her, scooping her up and slamming her into a bulkhead, pinning her there with her feet suspended above the floor. Miranda drew her pistol, but Jacob force the barrel down and kept her from pointing it at the Krogan.

The Krogan held Shepard in place and started speaking. "Human. Female. Before you die, I need a name."

"I'm Commander Shepard, and I don't take threats lightly. I suggest you relax."

The Krogan's eyes narrowed. Not your name. Mine. I am trained. I know things, but the tank...Okeer couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow. Warlord...legacy...grunt. Grunt was among the last. It has no meaning. It'll do... I am Grunt. If you are worthy of your command, prove your strength and try to destroy me."

Shepard sneered. "Why do you want me to kill you? You just woke up; you should want to live for more than five minutes."

Grunt actually laughed. "Big words for a squishy human. I do what I am meant to... fight. There is no 'want.' I feel nothing for Okeer or his clan. That imprint failed. He has failed. Without a reason, one fight is as good as any other. Might as well start one with you."

Shepard glared at the Krogan and said, "Okeer doesn't matter. He's dead. My clan is strong and we have worthy enemies. Join us and you'll have plenty of good fights. You will have purpose."

Grunt drew back just slightly, "Nothing in the tank indicated humans could be so forceful. You command as though you've earned it."

"My enemies threaten galaxies. Everyone on my ship has earned their place."

"Hmmm...Hmph! That's acceptable...I'll fight for you." Grunt released the commander and started to step back.

Shepard responded, "I'm glad you saw reason." As Grunt finished his withdrawal, he saw that Shepard had a pistol stuck to his plating.

He approved. "Ha! Offer one hand, but arm the other. Wise, Shepard. I find that you would be a worthy foe. If this...arrangement...does not work out, I will be honored to fight you."

Shepard chuckled. "No worries on that account. You'll have more than enough enemies to fight where we are going."

As Shepard walked out of the cargo bay, Miranda holstered her pistol and followed her to the elevator. "You really are bloody suicidal, aren't you Shepard?"

The commander laughed. "Nah, I knew you had my back Miranda...even if Jacob did try to stop you."

Miranda's head snapped up. "You had a Krogan smashing you into the bulkhead, and you still saw that?"

Shepard stopped and turned to the operative. "It's my job, Miranda. It's going to take all of us being at the top of our games and it's going to take teamwork to survive this mission. That's why I invited you down with me. I trust you, and I trust you to do your job."

Miranda looked at the commander. "This is listed as a suicide mission, Shepard. You really expect anyone to survive?"

Shepard raised her eyebrows. Her response was spoken with such conviction it left no room for doubt. "Not just anyone. Everyone. I've been brought back and offered a second chance at life. I have no intention of tossing that chance away, and if anyone plans on using this mission to commit suicide, they've joined the wrong team." Shepard stepped out of the elevator and left an open-mouthed Miranda staring after her.


	7. Lost Horizon

Shepard made a beeline to the lab to talk to Mordin; she had a lot more to discuss with him than just the monitoring devices on the ship. As she rolled in and said hello, Mordin started speaking without being prompted. "Shepard. Glad you are here. Talked about work, about Genophage study. Wasn't entirely honest. Lie of omission. Also other kinds. Mission too important for secrets. Need to clear the air. Work on Genophage more than just study."

Shepard crossed her arms and prompted Mordin to continue, "Had a feeling there had to be more to it than that. You're too talented to waste on just a study."

Mordin turned and looked away as he continued. He felt guilty about not telling the commander, and couldn't face her while he explained what they had done. "Apologize. Classified information. But you've earned full story. Initially was just study, but discovered Krogan population was increasing. Krogan were adapting and overcoming Genophage." He turned back to the commander as he finished.

Shepard stood up straight and uncrossed her arms, then leaned forward onto the lab table, completely focused on Mordin, "What did your team do when you learned of this?"

Mordin stepped up to the table and met Shepard eye-to-eye. "Personally led science team. Geneticists, chemists, sociologists, mathematicians. Created new version of Genophage. Released it on Tuchanka, other Krogan-centric areas. Restabilized Krogan population."

"Did you all consider other options? Was this really the last resort?" The commander knew if the Salarians were nothing else, they were thorough. She was just looking for confirmation.

"No, last resort would be genocide, but dismissed that quickly. Thought of thousands of other possibilities. Modified Genophage offered best outcome. Stabilized population. Avoided publicity that could incite Krogan anger. Best solution for whole galaxy, Krogan included."

"How did you distribute the virus? I assume you had to blanket the entire planet?"

"Covert drops. Hospitals, clan centers, water supplies. Very difficult. Few Salarians on Tuchanka. Team got caught a few times, had to fight free. Messy. Better when things went as planned." Mordin was clearly uncomfortable, but he continued. "It was one of those fights where right horn was injured. Very painful. Don't care to repeat."

Shepard sympathized with executing a plan that didn't go the way you unexpected. "I doubt you've told many people about this, Mordin. I appreciate you letting me know."

Mordin nodded. "Should get back to work. Am very close to solving stasis issue. Anything more, Shepard?"

It was Shepard's turn to nod. "Actually, yes, Mordin, that was your topic, not mine. But that's great news on the stasis!" Shepard then asked about getting a secure communication device that operated independent of the ship's systems. "I need something that enables burst transmissions that bypasses the surveillance systems on the Normandy, so I can converse with the Alliance, my mom, and my bondmate without Cerberus intercepting and listening in to the communication."

Mordin flashed a quick smile. "That's easy. Have spare." Mordin dug around in his tool chest and pulled out a small gray box. "No audio or video, but provides independent, secure text, short burst transmission via STG reporting node. Designed for covert mission status updates. Must be in close proximity to communications buoy for direct connection. Will establish an independent account for you. Will try to have it by tomorrow. Can show you basic operation then."

"Thanks, Mordin. If this thing works, I'll owe you big. I'll let you get back to work now." Shepard walked out, her mood better than it had been since her disastrous vid call with Liara. _Maybe I'll be able to figure out for sure what's happening on Illium and get this all sorted out..._

* * *

Shepard walked into the Armory, and Jacob was busy working at his station completing additional weapons modifications and armor upgrades, as usual. Shepard gave him a shout, "Jacob! You're working too hard. You ever take a break?"

Jacob issued a soft chuckle as he turned around. "With you as the commander? Have to say, you run the ship tight, and we're getting things done. Miranda has us buying and installing every upgrade and advanced mod we can find. It's a privilege to serve on the Normandy, Commander, and I'll do my best to make sure we succeed. There's no rest of the weary."

Shepard crossed her arms and tried to look stern, but she like the prior Corsair pilot and his code of ethics, so she was smiling as she gently chastised him. "Rest time is just as important, Jacob. We're in this for the long haul and our mission brings a lot of risk. You need something to keep the stress down."

Jacob shrugged his shoulders, "And what do you do in your spare time, other than release crazy Krogan in the cargo bay?"

Shepard laughed. "You know, that was actually kind of a letdown. I fully expected to have to fight him to show dominance. He surprised me by being a thinker. Now I'll still have to go down to the shuttle deck and work out. I prefer other... physical activities... over going to a gym. That's so boring."

Jacob smiled, "If I didn't know better, I'd think that was an obscure way to hit on me, but I'll be straight up. I'm not interested in any type of relationship than a professional one with my boss. No offense. As far as stress relief, I have a pretty regimented workout program that's great for stress. Blows off a lot of steam and helps me sleep at night. I'm good."

Shepard laughed. "Other physical activities means stuff like the battle arena at the Citadel, Armax? I love that place. I try to go whenever I have time. But as long as you have something to break routine, that's good enough by me. You be sure to let me know if you need anything."

* * *

When Edi informed her of a call from the Illusive Man, Shepard headed on down to the communications center and stepped into the holographic scanner. TIM had quite the announcement. Another colony, Horizon, had just gone dark and Shepard was to head there directly. He asked, "Has Mordin delivered the countermeasure for the seeker swarms?"

Shepard shook her head. "No, he hasn't but I just finished talking to him and he said he's close. We're in the Eagle Nebula right now, so we're on the other side of the damn Galactic Core. It's going to take us at least twelve hours to get to Horizon, maybe as much as sixteen, depending on if we need to stop to discharge any heat. Probably fastest to transit via Omega. Anyway, we just picked up a Krogan. Okeer ended up dead, so we ended up with his prodigy, Grunt."

TIM nodded. "Yes, I already received the mission report from Miranda. Considering the circumstances, she was very complimentary...right up to the point where you decided to wake it up in the cargo bay. She felt it was an unnecessary risk, but I'm not going to second-guess your decisions in the field. I take it since you are talking to me now, it went without any significant difficulties?"

Shepard agreed, "Yes, it did. We'll test him on Horizon; see how he does against the Collectors."

TIM finished up. "Good. Twelve hours...Let's hope Mordin Solus works well under pressure. There's something else you should know." He paused and took a long drag on his cigarette before continuing. "One of your former crew, Ashley Williams, is stationed on Horizon."

"I just talked to Anderson on the Citadel and he said something about her being on special assignment...classified so he wouldn't tell me anything else." Shepard was curious as to why Ash would be in the Terminus Systems.

TIM seemed to have all the answers. "Officially, it's an outreach program to improve relations with the colonies, but they're up to something. If they sent Lieutenant Williams, it must be big. Perhaps you should take it up with her."

Shepard was shaking her head. "The Collectors just happened to pick a colony with one of my former crew? I don't buy it. Give the Alliance a heads-up, I'll get the ship underway, and let Mordin know he's on the clock."

TIM was all sunshine and rainbows, "It shouldn't be a surprise the Collectors are interested in you, especially if they're working for the Reapers. Keep your head down, Shepard. This whole thing could be a ruse to try to trap or kill you again. They might be going after her to get to you."

Shepard was getting impatient. "Noted. I'd like to get going, if you don't mind."

TIM closed out, "This is the most warning we've ever had, Shepard. Be careful...and good luck." As TIM closed down the communication, Shepard told Joker to get them to Horizon with all possible speed, but to dump heat before arrival because they needed full stealth capability. Then she went to talk to Mordin.

* * *

Mordin had made the breakthrough they needed, so the next ten hours were spent modifying everyone's armor against the seeker swarms. When they hit the ground, Shepard had Mordin, Miranda and Grunt by her side. There was a massive ship standing across the colony, with an energy storm surrounding and obscuring its upper reaches. Shepard felt a chill run down her spine followed by a surge of anger as she realized this was the Collector ship that was responsible for the destruction of the Normandy. "So, Mordin... You sure these armor upgrades are gonna work?"

He was behind her, so Shepard didn't see his shrug as he answered, "Certainty impossible. In limited numbers, should confuse detection, make us invisible to detection. In theory."

Miranda echoed with a question, "In theory?"

Mordin answered earnestly, "Experimental technology. First field test. Should be exciting."

Shepard saw winged creatures landing in a field in front of them, "Well, we may be about ready to test it...Incoming!"

Suddenly Grunt...well... grunted; then roared and ran forward, "Finally! Something to kill!"

As each of her teammates had sprung into action doing what they did best, all of Shepard's frustration and anger coalesced into a charging point of fury, once again transformed into the formidable Vanguard. Her battle instincts took over and she became a powerhouse of streaking blue energy, colliding with her first Collector, the force blasting him backward off his feet. With a feral grin, Shepard evaporated his essence with a blast of her shotgun. She quickly tucked in and let rip a couple of blasts from cover while waiting for her biotic energy to recharge. The second she felt the familiar surge, the blue bolt was gone again, crushing her next target into nothingness. Almost oblivious to the rest of her team, Shepard danced across the battlefield, charging and blasting, until she had personally killed over a half dozen of the creatures.

The frequent missions were starting to show in her battle prowess. She was no longer winded by the prolonged conflict and could just flow on instinct; she had rediscovered her battle rhythm. As they cleared the field to emerge out the other side, Shepard notice a large defensive cannon that was not firing and wondered why the colonial defenses had not been activated. She answered her own question almost immediately. _Because it's the Collectors and the damn swarms paralyzed them before anyone turned the damn things on! Need to find the controls..._

A quick glance around her squad told her no one was injured, so they pressed on. She heard Joker attempting to establish contact, but the communication was extremely broken; the Collectors had started their jamming. If they didn't hurry, Horizon would be the next colony that went dark and vanished from the Terminus. As they moved into the next section of buildings, Grunt roared and jumped forward, catching more Collectors in his sights. Shepard went wide to complete a flanking maneuver and clear the buildings that ran parallel to their intended path. As she entered the first building, she quickly blasted three through the window. With assistance from Mordin and Miranda they went down quickly. Shepard heard a noise to her side, and as she spun, she saw a husk rapidly approaching. As she blasted one, another came in the far end and she waited to take it down as well. She then rolled back to the window and saw Miranda go by, unaware of two Collectors hidden behind some crates who would now be able to attack her from behind. Shepard shouted out, "Miranda! On your six!" as she called her charge and smashed into them before they could surprise her teammate. As she finished off the first with her shotgun, Miranda spun and warped the second out of existence, shouting a thank you to the commander.

Grunt had waded into a pocket of husks, and was gleefully ripping them to shreds using nothing but his hands and a huge blade mounted to the front of his shotgun. When Miranda saw it, Shepard thought for sure she was going to puke right then and there, so she clapped the XO on her shoulder hard, to distract her, and uttered, "Just be glad he's on our side." Miranda mutely nodded her head and looked away, moving on. Shepard made a comment, "Those things look like the husks the Geth used on Eden Prime..."

Miranda agreed and added, "The Geth got that technology from Sovereign." Mordin had caught up at that point and was collecting data from the dead husk. "Illusive Man was right. Collectors working with Reapers." While Mordin was looking at the husk, Shepard was more interested in Collectors. She scanned any she found that hadn't been obliterated by her team's powerful attacks.

Shepard realized they were moving faster than the Collectors when they emerged into the next courtyard. Still no colonists, but stasis pods were scattered about that hadn't been collected yet. Miranda was making some comment about Freedom's Progress, but she didn't finish before Shepard caught sight of another Collector and disappeared in a blue flash. The rest of the team scrambled to catch up, and Grunt was disappointed because Shepard got the jump on him that time and he didn't get to make first contact. He vowed to himself to make up for it and charged forward with a roar, looking for something to kill. Shepard was very glad he did, because after she charged she realized the Collector was not alone. There was an entire workforce there collecting the pods they had seen, and suddenly the team was in the thick of it. A Krogan was a very good friend to have in close-quarters combat, and Grunt made quick work of the masses. The fight seemed over, but Shepard could still hear the chatter of a Collector. Everyone else heard it as well and progressed carefully, trying to spy it out.

As they cruised around the next corner, they found the source of the noise. There were three more Collectors...and the first evidence of colonists. Mordin and Miranda examined them. Mordin finally commented, "Victim appears conscious. Fully aware. Trapped in stasis. Fascinating."

Shepard was livid. "There's nothing fascinating about this! They're fucking awake and totally unable to defend themselves. It's got to be terrifying!"

The shock on Mordin's face showed he was sincere as he spoke, "Yes. You are correct. I apologize."

Shepard looked at the colonists, "I don't know if you can hear me, but you'll be ok. We're not going to let them take you. We can't help you right now, but we'll be back for you. I promise."

Shepard growled, "Alright, let's move. We've got some damn Collectors to kill!" As they rolled into the next section, Shepard grabbed up a Collector weapon.

Mordin glanced at it quickly. "Interesting. Seems to be a particle beam weapon of some kind. Extremely powerful." After grabbing the weapon, the team moved on and soon enough more Collectors dropped out of the sky onto their position.

Shepard saw something strange happening to one of the Collectors and shouted out to her team. "The glowing Collector! Saw that when Sovereign possessed Saren! We've got a Reaper here! Kill the damn thing!" Miranda gasped in horror as she threw a warp, and Grunt bellowed with glee as he rumbled forward into the fray. With the team forewarned, the possessed Collector didn't last long, and the rest perished through what was developing into the team's standard battle tactics; Shepard playing pinball, using the Collectors as bumpers, Mordin incinerating as fast as he could target, Miranda warping to cover Shepard's six, and Grunt running amok like a rampaging bull, breaking in half anything that crossed his path. They progressed forward, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Their path forward came to an abrupt halt when they hit a locked door. Shepard managed to bypass the security lock with relative ease, and they quickly found themselves in a secure storage area. They started to walk through and Shepard's Cerberus augmented hearing picked up a slight scuffing noise behind some crates. "Company," was all she said, and the team readied weapons. "Get out here. Now!"

A colonist stepped out from behind the wall of crates, surprised at his visitors. "You're... you're human! What are you doing? You'll lead them right here!"

Shepard looked at him with disdain. "You had to hear them trying to get in...You can't hide from the Collectors. But don't worry; they won't be bothering you anymore."

The guy's eyes got wide, "You mean the Collectors are real? I thought they were made up... propaganda to keep us in Alliance space! No! They got Lilith. They got damn near everybody! You've got to stop them!"

"That's the plan; we could use your help." Shepard was hoping he knew something about why the guns weren't functioning.

"It's the Alliance's fault! They sent that Lieutenant Williams here to build those defense towers. They made us a target!" The colonist was swinging back and forth between anger and borderline panic.

Shepard yelled, "Hey!" and then continued in a normal tone. "Calm down. The Collector's have been hoping from colony to colony; the towers had nothing to do with the attack. If they were working, it might have prevented it! We need to get them fired up. How do we do it?"

"They have power...lots of it. They're GARDIAN lasers, but the targeting systems won't come online. The Alliance gave us pieces of crap that won't shoot straight!" The colonist was obviously disgusted by the Alliance's interference at the colony.

Miranda spoke up, "We can figure out the targeting system...Just tell us where to find it."

The colonist was happy to send them on their way, "Head for the main transmitter on the far side of the colony. Pretty hard to miss. The targeting controls are at the base."

"Good enough. Let us outta here and secure the door again behind us. You'll know soon enough if we are successful or not."

As he opened the door and sent them on their way, they heard him speak one last time. "Good luck. I think you're gonna need it."

Grunt answered. "We don't need luck. We have ammo!"

As they emerged, they entered a courtyard with scattered pods and more Collectors. The team had pretty good cover, so utilized it to take down the few exposed enemies they saw. Then, some strange creature none of them had seen yet emerged from one of the buildings, a Scion. It was a huge bipedal with a bulbous head, and it threw out a powerful directional shockwave with cryo effects. Shepard quickly found out it was devastating to shields. At the same time as her getting blasted by the cryo-wave, a possessed Collector also appeared beside it. Grunt bellowed and charge toward them for daring to assault his Battlemaster.

It was the toughest fight yet, but it made sense because they were closing in on the defense cannon controls and the Collector ship, so they expected to meet increased resistance. The addition of the Scions certainly made things more exciting, and Shepard wondered what other new horrors they would be introduced to before this battle finished. They collected more data from the Collector corpses and moved on, continuing to pick up thermal clips and anything else of value as they moved. They bypassed one more door, and found themselves in a large courtyard. Before them stood their target...the colony's main transmitter tower. Shepard made a beeline for the controls at the base, but she pulled herself up short as a pair of Scions emerged, accompanied by a host of husks. The Scions made a tactical error; they targeted solely on Shepard, but she was a blue streak, bouncing between husks. Charging and blasting, never staying in place long enough for the Scion cryo-waves to catch her. While they focused on her, the rest of the team focused on the Scions, and they soon went down in a combination of shotgun blasts and fiery blazes from Grunt and Mordin.

Miranda was busy dodging husks and trying to keep them off Shepard's six when she disappeared under a surge of husks. Shepard heard her cry out in pain and spun around searching for the source of the sound. She saw the pile and careened in, a violent charge of blue scattering them throughout the courtyard. She knelt at Miranda's side and was relieved when she saw blue eyes flutter open. "Lawson! You with me?"

She was reassured by the cocky response from her XO. Even though Miranda grunted in pain as she sat up, she looked the commander square in the face and griped, "Nothing a dab of medigel won't fix. Bastards have to work harder than that to kill me, Shepard." Samantha laughed as she stood up and offered Miranda a hand.

While Miranda treated her wounds, Shepard called the Normandy requesting assistance on the defense tower calibrations. "Time to show these things we give as good as we get. Edi...Bring the defense towers online!"

Edi responded promptly, "Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified, but it will take time to bring the towers to full power. I recommend a defensive posture. I will be unable to mask the increased generator output."

Mordin looked at Shepard, stating the obvious, "Collectors will respond with force to stop it."

The commander nodded. "Alright then, simple enough. You power up and we hold them off until the big gun shoots their ship down. Let's rock!" The minute Edi started the generator, the Collectors started pouring in...Collector guardians, husks, and a possessed immediately began their assault. Shepard slipped into battle mode, grabbing her shotgun and launching across the compound to smash into her first Collector...then a couple of husks...the familiar charge and blast working its magic. The first wave destroyed, the team scampered quickly to pick up what thermal clips they could before the second wave rolled in. Edi announced forty percent power as the first husks of the second wave began to roll in. Shepard kept on the move as more Collectors started dropping in, along with a Possessed. The battle raged, fast and furious, and as the team mopped up the last couple of Collectors of the second wave, Edi announced sixty percent power and the sync up to the Normandy targeting protocols.

The pattern repeated as the team collected thermal clips and got ready for round three. As Shepard was scrambling trying to find clips, she saw a huge shape approaching from the Collector ship. She called out, "We've got a big one inbound! No idea what the hell it is!" The whole courtyard shook as the creature hit the ground. It looked like a mechanized hard-shell beetle, except it was the size of a hovercar and it landed directly behind Miranda, leaving her scrambling for cover. The newest arrival glowed with a purple barrier of some kind, leaving the team to experiment to see what worked against it. Both incinerate and overload seemed to be successful and the team was effectively taking its barrier down when the Praetorian slammed Shepard with a high-yield energy weapon, blasting her backwards. She rolled to cover and swapped her shotgun out for her SMG; no way she would be able to charge the behemoth that now confronted them.

Edi announced full power and that she was taking control of the defense grid. As Mordin blasted the Praetorian with another incinerate to burn off the lasts of its armor protection, the creature slammed to the ground again. Shepard was about to relax, thinking they had eliminated the threat, but quickly realized it was somehow regenerating. Once again it glowed purple and took back to the air. Shepard riddled it with incendiary ammo while Mordin torched it with his incineration tech power. Miranda warped the Praetorian as fast as her powers would regenerate, and Grunt bellowed in rage because he couldn't battle hand-to-hand with a flying enemy. While the Praetorian focused on Shepard, Grunt followed behind, continuously pelting it with his shotgun until he ran out of thermal clips. When the Praetorian finally fell, Shepard breathed a sigh of relief; her shotgun was empty and she only had fourteen rounds left in her SMG. She didn't take time to celebrate, instead she scrambled about to pick up thermal clips in case another wave showed up.

The big guns were firing away at the Collector ship, and suddenly the base of the ship erupted in fire. The engines had lit and the ship was departing the planet. Miranda was frustrated, "They wanted the colonists, and they've got them. They've no reason to stay."

Shepard glared at her. "They didn't get them all. That's a victory. We've proven that if we're ready for them, we can defeat them!"

The guy from the storage area suddenly bolted into the middle of the courtyard. "No! Don't let them get away!"

Shepard just shook her head, "Sorry, there's nothing we can do...they're gone."

He paced back and forth screaming, "Half the colony's in there! Do something."

Shepard was angry and shifted her glare from Miranda to the colonist. "I did my best. You just hid in your damn bunker!"

Miranda had realized Shepard was right and added in, "If it wasn't for Shepard, you'd all be on board that ship."

The guy stopped pacing and turned around, his voice at a more normal volume, "Shepard? Wait. I know that name. Yeah, you're some big Alliance hero."

Shepard's head snapped around and huge smile lit her face when she heard a familiar voice come in from the side. Ashley Williams walked out as she spoke, "Commander Shepard. Captain of the Normandy. The first human Spectre. Savior of the Citadel. You're in the presence of a god, Delan. Back from the dead."

Delan crossed his arms in loathing. "All the good people we lost and you get left behind. Figures. Screw this. I'm done with you Alliance types." He threw his arms up in disgust and stalked off.

Ash walked up to the commander and looked at her warily, "I thought you were dead, Shepard. We all did." She stuck her hand out and the commander grabbed it and pulled Ash in for a hug.

"So did I, Ash. I've been in a coma for two years...just woke up not too long ago. Damn good to see you!" Shepard still had a big smile on her face.

Ashley suddenly got angry, "I would have followed you anywhere, Commander. I thought you were gone...I...you were more than our commander. Why didn't you try to contact me? Why didn't you let me know you were alive?"

"I tried, Ash. I asked Anderson where you were, and he wouldn't tell me. All he'd say was that you were on a classified mission." Ashley took a step back and looked around the squad, noticing the Cerberus emblem on Miranda's uniform.

"Because you're with Cerberus now? I can't believe the reports were right." Ash backed away, shaking her head in disbelief.

Miranda commented, "Reports? So much for security."

Ashley explained, "Alliance Intel said Cerberus could be behind our missing colonies. We got a tip that this one could be the next to get hit. I went to Anderson, but he wouldn't talk. But there were rumors that you weren't dead...and worse, that you were working for the enemy."

"The Alliance abandoned me for dead, Ash. They left me on Alchera along with twenty dead soldiers. Cerberus found me and put me back together. When I woke up, I went to Anderson and the Council; Sparatus wanted my head for treason and the others just wanted me gone, out of Council space and back out into the Terminus. Cerberus is the only organization willing to give me the resources to fight the Collectors, but I'm not working for them. It's my ship, my crew, my mission."

Ash got in Shepard's face, "Your ship? Do you really believe that? Or is it just what Cerberus wants you to think? I wanted to believe that you were alive...I just never expected anything like this. You've turned your back on everything we stood for!"

"That's bullshit, Ash! They turned their backs on me! I went to them, asking for help and they tossed me out like yesterday's trash. You know me. I'd only do this for the right reason. It's the only way I could find to get into the fight. You saw it yourself... it's the Collectors attacking the colonies, not Cerberus... and they're working for the Reapers!"

Ash shook her head as she responded, "I'd like to believe you, Shepard, but I don't trust Cerberus. And it worries me that you do. What did they do to you? What if they're behind it? What if they're the ones working with the Collectors?"

Miranda couldn't stand it; she crossed her arms and commented, "Typical Alliance attitude. So focused on Cerberus that you're blind to the real threat."

Shepard tried to ignore Miranda and kept eye contact with Ashley. "You're letting how you feel about their history get in the way of the facts, Ash. I'm not asking you to trust Cerberus...I'm asking you to trust me."

"How can I trust you, Shepard, when you're working with the enemy? Maybe you feel like you owe Cerberus because they saved you. Doesn't matter. I know where my loyalties lie. I'm an Alliance soldier. It's in my blood. I'm reporting back to the Citadel. I'll let them decide if they believe your story." Ash took another step backward as she finished, preparing to turn and walk away.

Shepard's heart ached at the abandonment of yet another friend. "Ash...Talk to Anderson. He'll tell you I was there. He cut off the treason charge because he still believes in me. Just be sure to tell them what you saw here... the Collectors taking the colonists. Not Cerberus... And Ash?... Ash! " She waited until Ashley stopped and looked back at her. "I'm glad you didn't end up on that damn Collector ship. Even if you don't believe in me, I still believe in you. Keep fighting the good fight. You'll find us on the same side in the end. I promise you that."

Ashley actually stopped for a moment and replied, "So long, Commander...and...Good luck."

Shepard stared at the ground for a long moment after Ashley disappeared from sight. Finally, she sighed and hit her comm button. "Joker, send the shuttle. I've had enough of this place."

* * *

Back on the Normandy, Shepard stepped into the comm room to speak with TIM. He was pleased with the mission results. "Shepard. Good work on Horizon. Hopefully, the Collectors will think twice before attacking another colony."

Shepard was ambivalent, "It was good to finally go toe-to-toe with them, test their strength, but we still lost a lot of colonists."

TIM was encouraged, "They'll be more careful now, but I'm sure we can find another way to lure them in."

Shepard caught something in his phrasing that stabbed ice into her veins. "Another way? Ash said the Alliance got a tip about me in Cerberus... Was that you?"

TIM was smug as he answered, "I may have let it slip that you were alive...and with Cerberus."

Shepard growled, "And Horizon? You risked the lives of my friend, my crew, and that entire colony just to lure the Collectors there?"

TIM huffed. "Of course I did, but it doesn't matter. Don't be naive, Shepard. If not Horizon, they would have struck elsewhere. At least this way we gave the colony a chance. I told you I wouldn't sit and wait while the Reapers and Collectors gather strength."

Shepard sighed in resignation, realizing that however much she hated it, he was probably right. "We chased them off once. Find a target, and I'll hit it."

TIM responded quickly. "Our target is set, but we can't reach it yet. It's their homeworld. I'm devoting all resources to finding a way through the Omega-4 Relay. We have to hit them where they live. Your team will need to be strong...as will their resolve. There's no looking back. The same goes for you. Can I assume you've put your past relationships behind you?"

Shepard glared at him. "I'm well focused on my mission. If you set this up just to try to help me find 'closure' then stop. I'll deal with my relationships the way I see fit...if you meddle, it will just piss me off and distract me. My relationships are just that. Mine...and non-negotiable."

TIM was insistent, "Best to leave connections behind and focus on the mission."

Shepard was unwavering. "Let me amend my last statement. Non-negotiable and private. That means not up for discussion."

TIM narrowed his eyes in anger, not used to being told no. "Shepard, once we find a way through to the Collector homeworld, there's no guarantee you'll return. To have any hope of surviving, you and your entire team must be fully committed to this."

Shepard's voice went completely flat with her response. "You're a stubborn son of a bitch, but let me make this simple enough for your thick skull to understand. I complete missions; that's why you brought me back, so just fucking let me do my job the way I see fit and leave my personal relationships out of it. You find a way through the relay; I'll make sure the mission gets done. But make no mistake. If it's at all possible, I plan on bringing folks home when we're finished." She didn't give him a chance to respond again; she turned her back on him and stepped out of the holo generator.

As she exited, she realized Jacob was standing there...and he was chuckling. "That's gonna really piss him off. He's used to everyone kowtowing to him."

Shepard was far from being over her anger and it showed through as she responded to Jacob. "The asshole brought me back to be Commander Shepard, not some weak-willed minion. If he can't deal with it, that's his problem, not mine."

Jacob's expression became serious. "Guess we're really gonna do it. Hit the Omega-4 Relay; take the fight to the Collectors in person."

Shepard stopped and took a cleansing breath. "Yes, that's the plan."

Jacob seemed ok with the whole idea, "Looking forward to the action. You really think we're gonna come home?"

Shepard looked him in the eyes as she reiterated, "Yes, that's the plan."

He searched her face for a moment, then nodded and walked away, apparently content with whatever he saw there.

* * *

Shepard decided to walk around the ship a bit and cool off after her conversation with the Illusive Man. She stuck her head in Miranda's door first to give her a heads up, and quickly figured out she was too late. The door slid closed behind her and Miranda stood up, her face red. "Commander. Do you purposely go out of your way to make my job difficult?"

Shepard had the sense to look embarrassed. "Sorry, Miranda... I was actually here to warn you, but I guess you already heard about my 'discussion" with TIM."

Miranda was clearly frustrated. "He brought you back, Shepard! He's paying the expenses on this entire mission! What were you thinking?"

Shepard was done being apologetic, and raised her voice, "I'm thinking I'm doing what he's paying for! You brought me back to be Commander Shepard. Well guess what? This is me! My personal relationships are a part of me, and they're an important part. I'm not a damn robot. I need motivation just like anyone else. I don't do this to be a hero, to get accolades and parades. I don't do it to save the galaxy, and I certainly will NEVER do it to gain praise from your damned egocentric Illusive Man!" By now, Shepard was shouting, so she swallowed hard and took a deep breath; her voice turned to a deadly quiet calm as her eyes stabbed into Miranda, "I do it to protect the people I love. And if Cerberus cuts me off from everyone from my past...There won't be anyone I care enough about to protect. Think on that, Ms Lawson. Pass THAT little tidbit onto your boss. Maybe you can make him understand I don't give a shit about him or his ideals. I'm doing it to save my loved ones. There is no greater motivation to me. Taking them all away from me would be the last mistake you ever make. And that's not a threat...It's a promise."

* * *

Shepard stormed out and headed directly to the cockpit. As soon as she walked in, Joker started talking, "Hey, Commander, loving how the crew is shaping up! We got Garrus back! That's great, because he was totally my favorite...with that pole up his ass. And Grunt? He's not Wrex, but I'm sure we'll fill our head butting quota..." Joker tapered off when he saw the look on the commander's face. "Uhm...Did you need something, Shepard, or are you here to kill me?"

As Shepard's gaze snapped over and locked onto Joker's face, she closed her eyes and answered. "Illium, Joker. Yesterday."

Joker was immediately slamming the coordinates into the system, but had to ask the question. "Commander? Nothing's happened to Liara, has it? Please say no. I really like her..." He finished inputting the information and turned back to Shepard.

She sighed and responded. "No...I...I just need to see her, Jeff. Yesterday."


	8. Reconciliation

Shepard had been nervous all morning, but finally the moment of truth had arrived. They were on Illium in the dry-docks, and the upgrades on the armor had been started. The docking fees had been paid by Dr Liara T'Soni, and Shepard was on her way to visit the information broker in her office, with Kasumi and Miranda in tow. She had no idea what to expect. On the way, an Asari she did not recognize called her by name. As Shepard approached, the Asari started speaking. "You're Commander Shepard? I saw your... I guess you would say your aura. I'd recognize you anywhere. I was asked to give you a message if I saw you. It's from a friend you made on Noveria."

Shepard shrugged her shoulders, curious as to who it could be from. "What message were you asked to give?"

The Asari stepped forward and her eyes turned white. When she spoke, her voice had taken on a different tone, sounding hollow, almost with an echo. "Shepard. We hide. We burrow. We build. But we know that you seek those who soured the songs of our mothers. When the time comes, our voice will join with yours, and our crescendo will burn the darkness clean. Thank you, Shepard. The Rachni will sing again, because of you."

Shepard was relieved to know the Rachni were keeping their promise. "I'm glad to hear you are rebuilding. Are you somewhere close by?"

The Asari's eyes returned to normal and she stepped back. "The Rachni queen is not here. That message was one of many memories I carry from her. They are an amazing people, Shepard. The galaxy owes you a great debt for giving them a second chance."

Shepard thanked the Asari for delivering the message, and asked her to return a greeting, should she ever see the Rachni queen again. "Just tell her I'm glad my friend from Noveria is doing well, and I will hold her to that promise when the Reapers come."

Shepard continued to Liara's office, her hesitance growing with every step. It seemed fate was willing to help delay her moment of reckoning; she could see the steps leading up to Liara's office when yet another voice called out her name. Gianna Parasini. "Holy crap! Shepard? I thought you were dead." Sighing, Shepard changed direction and walked over to the table Gianna was sitting at, noting the surprised look on the internal affairs investigator's face. "The news said you were dead. What happened? No. Don't tell me. You'd probably have to kill me. Forget I asked."

Shepard laughed, "Good, because it's a long story and I don't have that much time."

Gianna smiled at the Spectre. "Sit down. If I remember, I still owe you a beer." As Shepard sat, the inspector continued, "What brings you to Illium? Ya know, that you can talk about."

Shepard's smile disappeared. "You ever heard of the Collectors? They're attacking human colonies. We're gonna stop them."

Parasini couldn't hide the surprise on her face. "Damn, Shepard. A tough day job for me involves more paperwork and having to spend an extended time in a dress." Parasini was distracted by something happening off to the side, and when she looked back at Shepard, she started to get up. "Hey, listen, I just remembered something. I've gotta go. Talk to you later? And don't forget to drink your beer."

Shepard looked down at the drink and had to laugh. Talk about old school...there was actually a hand-written note on the napkin under the glass. Parasini was on the job and needed Shepard and her team to sweet talk a merchant into showing her elicit goods. It was easy enough to do, especially since they actually were on the prowl for improved gear for their mission. The team walked up to the mark and Shepard simply told the truth. "I'm outfitting a team for a dangerous mission. I'm looking for the best and willing to pay for it, as long as you work with me."

The store clerk was happy to comply. "Certainly! I'll give you a volume discount rate at the kiosk, and I can let you know when we get any special items in."

Shepard looked intrigued. "What kind of special items we talking about?"

The clerk glanced around nervously before answering, "Oh, you know, schematics, designs. Nothing illegal, but I may not have all the licenses to sell them."

Shepard pressed her, "You have anything else? Anything not listed on your main merchandise kiosk?"

The clerk looked around again and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Well, there is one thing...very advanced design, not publicly available yet..."

She didn't get to finish the sales pitch because Parasini walked up and finished for her. "That's because it's still in development on Noveria, and illegal for export. Hello, Hermia."

The clerk leaned toward Gianna. "Parasini! You set me up! But this isn't Noveria. You don't have the authority to arrest me!"

Gianna laughed, "I don't care if you go to jail. I've got all the evidence I need to fine you out of business."

The clerk, Hermia, ran off, stuttering something about needing to contact her lawyer. Parasini shouted after her, "Talk fast, Hermia! When the fines hit, you won't be able to afford him." She turned back to Shepard with an incredibly smug look on her face. "Ahhhh, that was good. I love nailing Asari, so ageless and superior. Then you get them and they squeal like school girls."

Shepard laughed and issued a joking warning. "Careful, Gianna. My bondmate is Asari and she works here on Illium. You don't want her hearing you; she might sic her pet Spectre on you."

Gianna's face lit up with worry. "I hope you're joking, Shepard!"

Talking about Liara as her bondmate suddenly made Shepard feel the need to finish what she came here to do. "Only about her siccing me on you. I was actually on my way to see her when you called to me."

Gianna looked...disappointed. "Well, then. Guess I should let you go. I've gotta go file a few papers, anyway. Hermia is going to be a very poor woman, very shortly. Maybe another time, Shepard." With that, Parasini got up and beat a hasty retreat, letting Shepard finally climb the steps to Liara's office.

On the way, Kasumi grinned as she spoke, "You do realize that woman has the serious hots for you, right Shepard?" Shepard denied the allegations, totally clueless, while Kasumi enjoyed herself to no end with merciless teasing.

Miranda was silently fuming after she heard the comment about Liara being Shepard's bondmate. _Bondmate! I knew they were close, but I don't remember any of the profiles mentioning that!_ _Damn it! I need to review them all and see what else I may have missed._ Irritated, Miranda cut off the jesting with a quick comment. "I hardly see how this discussion is relevant to the mission."

Kasumi and Shepard glanced at each other, rolling their eyes in disbelief. Kasumi couldn't help but comment, "Don't be such a tight-ass, Miranda. You're gonna blow a gasket." Miranda was ready to make a scathing retort when a glare at both of them from the commander stopped the fledgling feud before it built up any steam.

As the trio reached the door, Liara's assistant stood to welcome them, saying the information broker was expecting the commander and would be very pleased with her arrival, then promptly showed Shepard into the office. As Shepard entered, Liara was finishing up a business call and the words she spoke sent shivers down the commander's spine. Sam had heard those words before, on the day they were forced to kill Matriarch Benezia. Liara spoke to the client, "Have you faced an Asari commando unit before? Few humans have. I'll make it simple. Either you pay me, or I flay you alive. With my mind."

Liara felt a presence behind her and glance over her shoulder to see who it was. Instant recognition made her call out and spin to meet her guest. "Shepard! Nyxeris, hold my calls."

Liara immediately closed the distance and took Shepard's hands in hers, feeling the familiar energy jump between them the minute their fingertips brushed. Pure instinct drove her to lean in and kiss Samantha before she realized other people had come in with the commander. Liara immediately recognized Miranda Lawson and her blood ran cold. She broke off the kiss, stepped back behind her desk and sat down, her angst overriding the joy of reunion. Even more nervous now, puzzled by Liara's behavior, Shepard took a seat in front of the desk and started talking. "Liara. It's...great to see you." Samantha's eyes told Liara much more than her words.

Liara could tell Shepard was unsure, confused by her reaction. _Why did that Cerberus bitch have to come with her? How am I supposed to talk to her when neither of us trusts Cerberus?_ Since Liara had no answers, she went along with the general platitudes, "It is very good to see you as well...Shepard. I'm glad you made it. I assume the docking fees were all taken care of? I left instructions that everything should be charged to my brokerage."

Even as Liara spoke, Shepard could see the anger in her eyes, but could tell it was directed over her shoulder at Miranda Lawson. _Goddamn it! That's why she shut down. This is going to be just like Ashley. I'm fucking working with Cerberus and no one will trust me...not even my bondmate!_

Shepard went with the flow of the conversation, hoping Liara would open up eventually. She needed to create an opportunity where she could get Liara alone; to try and explain. "Yes, everything was paid, and our dry-dock was ready and waiting when we arrived. Now, I believe you mentioned you had things you had to take care of. Which of those tasks are assigned to me as my part of our... agreement?" Shepard knew they had no such understanding, but hoped Liara wouldn't shut down the off-hand request for additional visits.

Liara only pondered a moment before she came up with something, obviously acquiescing to Shepard's proposal. "I need someone with hacking expertise, someone I can trust...like you. If you could disable security at key points around Illium, you could get me information I need."

Liara saw Samantha's relief in the way her face relaxed when Liara accepted the commander's assistance. Shepard had a gentle smile on her face as she replied, "I'll do whatever you need me to do, Doctor. In exchange, I'd like whatever information you have on a Justicar Samara and on an assassin named Thane Krios. We have reason to believe they are here on Illium."

Liara gave Shepard instruction on where the terminals were and how to get the data she needed. She ended with "Thank you, Shepard. This may help me pay a great debt. I'll try to have the information you need by the time you return."

Hacking a few terminals didn't really provide much of a challenge, so Shepard would have been able to return to Liara relatively quickly. Instead, she took a break and hit the bar, hoping to sooth her anger and calm her nerves a bit before returning to the broker's office. As she rolled up to the counter, the bartender introduced herself. "Welcome to Eternity, I'm Aethyta, Asari Matriarch and bartender."

Shepard was curious and just had to ask, "You're a Matriarch? I thought they served as honored advisors. What are you doing tending bar?"

Aethyta laughed, "I know, not what you'd expect, but nobody on Thessia wanted to listen to my wise counsel, so here I am offering advice to my patrons. I'm appreciated more here. So what brings you to Illium?"

Aethyta couldn't believe her luck; Commander Shepard just sat her ass down on a stool and felt like talking. She just might get some information yet.

The commander just shrugged, "Ahhh. Gearing up for a mission, picking up a couple of recruits, buying some upgrades, and the ship is in dry-dock getting some armor mods. Routine stuff for a spacer like me. So, tell me, what's it like to live for a thousand years?"

Aethyta paced back and forth as she answered. "Violent. Wars break out. Sometimes you get good news like that colony on Feros surviving. That's the exception though; generally, colonies get destroyed, like Eden Prime. Now I hear about more shit going on in the Terminus and nobody's doing a damn thing about it. And I tried to warn 'em! Told people on Thessia what was comin' and they didn't wanna hear it."

"Didn't want to hear what?" Sam couldn't help herself, and the question was out of mouth before she knew it.

"That art and philosophy and political prowess wasn't gonna cut it! We can't go a single Asari lifetime without some big war breaking out. We need to get our daughters working earlier, not spending their wild maiden years shaking their ass at some strip joint or working with merc bands. I know something's still coming. It's not the last we'll see of the like of Saren."

"So you end up tending bar because you got in a pissing match with the other Matriarchs?" Sam wasn't really expecting a response; she was just making an observation, but the Matriarch got defensive.

"Better than what the rest of 'em are doing! Look at that screw up with Saren and the Geth a few years back! Their ships were hangin' bare-assed in space when Saren started shooting. If not for you Humans, we woulda bought it right there." Aethyta was very animated; Sam loved her passion as she continued her diatribe. "So what mission you gearing up for? Going after the pirates raiding the colonies?"

Aethyta saw that any relaxation and enjoyment Sam had gotten out of her drink vanished in an instant and knew she had guessed right as Shepard groused, "Yeah...something like that."

Aethyta narrowed her eyes and leaned over the bar, staring at Shepard's face. "Now don't be gettin' all somber on me. You look like you're pretty capable of kicking some serious ass. You build up that crew of yours and go take back what's yours. The council is selling the Humans short, considering you literally saved their asses only a couple years ago. They got a short memory; they should be helping, Terminus or not. Don't you let anybody tell you different."

Shepard laughed. "I like you, Matriarch. Thanks for the pep talk."

Aethyta smiled, "That's what I'm here for, babe!"

Shepard smiled in return and got up from her stool. "Well, thanks for the drink but I got places to go and people to see. Take care, Aethyta. Might see you around."

Shepard waved as she headed off, aiming for Liara's office. When she arrived, Liara was pleased. "Thank you, Shepard. The data you found was extremely helpful. It gave me a target. There is a spy here, known only as the Observer, and they have infiltrated my network. I've been working to ferret them out, and between what you got and the leads Nyxeris has dug up, I've narrowed the suspects down to five. Taking down the Observer will get me much closer to my goal. I could use your help."

Shepard leaned forward in her chair. "Just tell me what I need to do, Liara."

"Your data pointed me to some logs kept by various information agents. The logs were deleted, but it may be possible to reconstruct some of them. If you can do that, we might get enough information to pinpoint the target and strike. It will go a long way to making my network secure again."

Shepard stood up. "I'm on it, Liara. I'll get the data and let you know what I find. The five data points will be easy; the tough part will be reconstituting enough of the data to make it worthwhile." Shepard roamed around the trading floor, collecting the data and then worked on the decryption and reconstruction. Once she was done, she still had nothing solid so she took it to Garrus.

His investigative skills as an ex C-Sec officer proved very useful. It didn't take him long before he laughed and asked Shepard if it was some kind of test. When Shepard gave him a questioning look, he explained. "It's simple. Most of the reconstructed statements are worthless, providing circular reasoning at best. But this one... only this one has something significant. All of the suspects are male, but this specifically refers to the Observer as 'she.' The Observer is a female, so none of these suspects fit the profile." Garrus was particularly smug in his deduction, and all Shepard could do was admit the obvious oversight. She had too much on her mind to properly concentrate. After thanking Garrus, Sam immediately headed back to Liara's office. She was in a hurry to get off the ship and purposely didn't tell anyone she was going; for once no one tagged along as she left the Normandy.

She called Liara while she was on her way, giving her the news and asking who provided the leads. Liara answered promptly, "My assistant, Nyxeris. She got the information. Nyxeris... gave me the information." Samantha could hear the ideas turning in Liara's head and realized what her conclusion was going to be. Liara continued speaking, "Nyxeris. Could I see you in here for a moment? Shepard. I'll talk to you later." Sam broke into a run, headed for the information broker's office as fast as her feet and the crowds on Illium would allow. Considering Nyxeris was just outside Liara's door, Sam was too far away, barely off the Normandy, and in her gut she felt the trip took too long.

As Sam topped the steps, Nyxeris was nowhere to be seen and all was quiet. Samantha drew her shotgun and charged into Liara's office, only to see Liara standing victorious over a very recently deceased assistant. Shepard ran to her, asking if she was alright. Liara was still tingling with biotics, but unharmed, and responded calmly. "She was very talented. I imagine that had she been ordered to assassinate me, I never would have seen her coming. But her barriers needed practice. Practice I'm afraid she won't be getting." Liara proceeded to make some calls, arranging for a cleaning crew and various other tasks that resulted from the 'accident' in her office.

Shepard moved to one of Liara's side terminals, away from the main desk, to let Liara work. As she looked up the information Liara had found on Krios and the Justicar to make herself look busy, she also watched Liara. The Asari was very focused and acted surprisingly calm as the crew came in and removed any evidence of the altercation that had happened such a short time ago. As Shepard looked on, it finally sunk in how much Liara had changed; she was definitely more cold and detached. The two years had been hard on her. Her mom was right; Liara had lost a part of her soul and it broke Shepard's heart to see. She felt she had to do something or Liara would be lost to her forever. Shepard got up slowly and approached the desk, laying a hand on her bondmate's shoulder. "Liara. We need to talk."

Liara stood and stepped away, her guilt crushing, her mind frozen in fear. _I am not ready to discuss this! I...I don't know what to say or how to say it! By the Goddess, I practically just killed Nyxeris in front of her, but for a matter of just a few moments!_

"Liara." Shepard's voice was pleading, her heart breaking. "I'll shout if from the roof tops if it's not blatantly obvious that I love you, and it's killing me that you're being so distant." Getting no reaction, Shepard hesitated slightly before continuing, her voice breaking as she finished, "There hasn't been anything we couldn't share, for a long time now. Why can't you just talk to me?"

Liara wouldn't even look at her; she faced the window as she spoke. "I... I can't, Shepard. Not here. Not now. As I told you before, I have debts to repay, things I must finish. I'm sorry, but I can't say anything else right now."

"You know, my mom told me you were scared. She actually said you'd lost a part of your soul when you lost me. Well, I'm no longer lost, and I'm here to give it back to you...if you'll take it." Sam stood there with a dazed look in her eyes, questioning why she was getting absolutely no response from her supposed bondmate, trying to make some sense of it. Shepard was barely able to choke out her next sentence. "Do you not love me anymore?"

Liara was panicked, having no idea how to explain everything to Samantha and not have her hate her, completely paralyzed by her fear. She opened her mouth to talk...to say something to explain herself to her bondmate...and was totally unable to force any air across her vocal chords to utter a single sound, closing her mouth again in frustration as her eyes heated with impending tears.

After what seemed like another incredibly long silence to Shepard, Dr Liara T'Soni witnessed something she never thought she'd see; the great Commander Shepard, pillar of strength, savior of the galaxy...broke. Samantha whispered so quietly Liara almost didn't hear it. "Mom said you still loved me..." As her entire world crashed down, Samantha Shepard's chin sunk to her chest and she leaned against Liara's desk for the support necessary to stay on her feet, as tears started to run down her face. Liara watched, frozen and unable to comprehend how any of this was possible. _Samantha does not...just...break. She is too strong! _ Liara listened in horror as a voice came out of Sam's mouth that did not belong to her. Never had Shepard's voice ever sounded so timid... so...defeated.

"You asked me to understand. I've been gone two years and I think I just now figured out what you meant. It's all true, isn't it? I refused to believe the Illusive Man when he told me about the crew, but it's all true. Ashley thinks I'm lying about the last two years and hates me for working with Cerberus. Tali's 'too busy' with her own project to be bothered to help me." Samantha let out a short mirthless laugh that drove a dagger into Liara's heart. "She didn't even trust me enough to tell me what the project was. And Garrus; he's with me, but won't tell me why he ended up on Omega shooting mercs. Seems he doesn't fully trust me anymore, either." Shepard paused and raggedly sucked in a lungful of air like she was trying to keep from drowning.

"But you...of all people. You haven't once spoken my first name and you can't seem to say three little words... I never thought you would desert me." Shepard pushed off the desk and rocked back onto her feet, staggering a bit as she struggled to find her balance, shoulders slumped. She took a step toward Liara and started to raise her hand, as if to caress the Asari's face one last time, then thought better of it and dropped her arm back to her side, turning away and walking toward the door. "I never thought..." She hesitated, and then a pained laugh escaped Shepard's lips. "I'm such a fool. All Commander Shepard is to anyone is a means to an end. I think the only one who has any integrity left is Garrus. At least he had the fortitude to walk away when you started to work for the Shadow Broker."

That statement was like a cold slap across her face and it shocked Liara out of her paralysis. She gasped and spun from the window as she finally found her voice. "What? Is that what they told you, Shepard? I would never!"

Shepard turned to face the Asari and her face shifted from misery to anger, her voice like steel. "Why should I believe that, Liara? The Illusive Man told me about Garrus leaving you because he could no longer work for you when you changed allegiances. And here you are, a sudden skyrocketing success... the most respected info broker on Illium. You haven't told me anything different; you won't talk to me, you won't explain. You were happy to use me to hack terminals, gather information, ferret out a spy...the only thing that surprises me is that you killed her yourself and didn't wait and have me do your dirty work! Because that's what I'm good at, isn't it? Killing? Hey, look! There's a rogue Spectre... that's ok, Commander Shepard will kill him. Hey look, pirates! That's ok, Shepard will kill 'em. Oh my! Geth beyond the Veil! That's ok, Shepard's here, she'll get rid of 'em... Hey, look, a Reaper. That's ok, Commander Shepard and the Normandy are here to kill it..."

Shepard was prepared to go on, but the tortured look on Liara's face as she shouted "Shepard, stop! None of that's true!" gave her pause. Liara covered her face with her hands and cried, "Goddess, what have I done?"

Shepard glared at her with a malice Liara had never seen on Sam's face before, her eyes dark with resentment. "What you've done, Liara, is destroyed the best thing that ever happened to me. I loved you. We were bondmates!" Sam's chest hurt, like her heart was threatening to stop beating at the thought of losing that special union. "I don't know what happened to you in the last two years. I was gone. I get it, believe me. I. Get. It. I was comatose and the whole fucking galaxy moved on without me. The only thing that kept me going after I woke up in that damn Cerberus lab was thinking of you. Whether I want to or not, I still love you, Liara, but apparently that doesn't matter anymore." Another mirthless laugh drove the dagger yet deeper. "But that's ok, because yet again Commander Shepard has something new to kill, Collectors. Maybe I'll survive this and maybe I won't...and maybe it'll be better if I don't. At least when I die, your two years spent getting over me won't have been wasted time." As she turned on her heal to leave, Shepard's words about dying brought everything sharply together in Liara's mind; her nightmares, Sha'ira's visit and her advice to be brave and let truth find the way to love.

Liara pulled herself from behind the desk and walked quickly toward the commander, finally truly speaking, her fear crushed under her desperation, "Samantha, wait! By the Goddess, I swear I love you still, as much as I ever have, so before you walk out that door I owe you an explanation, at the very least." Shepard stopped and turned, looking at the Asari, but still seething. "You've got two minutes, Doctor. Talk fast."

Liara took a deep breath and began. "Did Cerberus ever tell you how they recovered your body?" Samantha said nothing, just stoically shook her head no, and Liara continued. "The Blue Suns picked you up at Alchera. They had a deal with the Shadow Broker, who in turn was going to sell your corpse to the Collectors. I stole you from the Broker, and then...I... I gave you to Cerberus, Shepard. Because I couldn't give you up and they said they could rebuild you. Garrus left because I worked with Cerberus, because I gave your body to our worst enemy outside the Reapers. Not because I started working with the Shadow Broker! Goddess! You have to believe I would never work with the Broker...not after what he tried to do! I'm not working for the Shadow Broker; with every ounce of energy and every resource I command, I am hunting him!"

Shepard's angry gaze softened almost imperceptibly, asking "Was that so damned hard, Liara? Why couldn't you tell me this before now?"

Liara stared at the floor as she continued quietly. "Because of so many reasons, Shepard. Guilt. Shame. Fear. You have no idea the things I did just to find you to begin with. You say you have killed...so have I, Shepard. After two years, I am not the person you fell in love with any more. That person no longer exists. You have no idea the depths to which I sunk to find you and get you back. The people I killed, just to turn you over to Cerberus and turn you into something I knew you would hate. I had convinced myself there was no way you would love me anymore once you knew the things I had done, so I attempted to close my heart to you, thinking it would be easier...but it has been anything but easy."

Shepard was calmer, but still angry. "You think _you're_ different than you were two years ago? I fucking died, Liara. I wake up every morning wondering if I'm the same person, how it's even possible that I'm alive and not some glorified AI. Yet I have to believe I'm still me or I'd go crazy; I don't have a choice. I still love my mom. I still love you. Just everyone else seems to hate ME now, because I had the audacity to up and die on them." Shepard let out a frustrated laugh. "Well, I'm sorry. Trust me, do everything you can to avoid dying because it hurts like hell, and if you can't avoid it, then don't try to come back, because believe it or not, the emotional torture of everyone doubting you somehow hurts even worse."

Liara looked up at Shepard and the long threatening tears finally crept out of the Asari's eyes, no matter how hard she tried to contain them. "When I took your body from the Broker, I messed up. I had help...a Drell named Feron. I screwed up and I barely escaped with my own life, and the Broker took Feron. While I have spent the last two years waiting to see if all I had done was worth it, waiting to see if Cerberus could actually bring you back, I've also been trying to find him. You're back now, but Feron is still lost. I don't even know if he's alive, but he helped me save you. I have to find him; I owe him at least that much."

The one thing that Shepard could never stand was to see Liara cry and that innate reaction still held true. Watching the tears tumble down the Asari's face broke the commander's resolve and her expression softened as she spoke. "Liara. Do you love him?"

Confusion reigned on Liara's face. "What? Love who?"

The pain in Shepard's face spoke volumes, though her words were short. "The Drell. This... Feron."

"What?" Shock replaced the confusion as it dawned on her, what Shepard must think. "Oh Goddess, no! Shepard! I could never love anyone but you!"

Shepard's heart jump-started hearing that statement, but questions still needed to be answered. "Then honestly, why couldn't you tell me? Do you not remember my pledge to you? Did you not believe me when I told you, whatever your choices and wherever your path may take you?"

Tears continued to fall as Liara stared at the floor. "I remember, Shepard, but those promises were made in a much more innocent time. After all we had done...after all of the Cerberus evil we had witnessed; I still gave you to them for the chance that you could live, knowing they would try to turn you to their own purposes. And I let it happen, because I couldn't let you go. I am so sorry if that betrayal hurts you, but under the same circumstances, I would risk it again. So if you leave, angry and hurt, I won't blame you, but I want you leaving for honest reasons, not because of some lies you've been fed by the Illusive Man!" Her head came up with the shift in emotion to anger at Cerberus. She looked pleadingly to Shepard for understanding.

"Liara, a pledge is a forever thing, no matter when it's made." Shepard took another couple of steps closer to Liara and spoke softly. "I don't know what to believe anymore, but if all you've said is true then you did the right thing, Liara. You have no reason to be sorry. If you hadn't given me to Cerberus I wouldn't be standing here now. Instead, I'd be dead, and either buried or a corpse in the hands of the Collectors. Personally, I'd rather be standing here; Cerberus or not."

Liara hung her head and whispered, "Thank you, Samantha. I never ... My biggest fear was that you'd hate me."

Samantha spoke nervously as she closed the distance between them until they were a hand-width apart, not touching, but with her breath feathering softly against Liara's cheek. "You say you couldn't let me go. If that's true, then trust me like you used to. Believe in me and stop pushing me away. I could never hate you, Blue. I love you...I have since I met you and I always will. As far as I'm concerned you are still my bondmate. Is there still a future for us, Blue? It's your move, your choice; I can't force you to have faith in us. Last chance before I turn and walk out that door forever." Samantha fell silent and held her breath, trembling and afraid, unsure of what the next few seconds would bring; hopeful because Liara had not retreated.

Liara's breath hitched when she heard the velvety soft murmur of the familiar pet name. She whispered, "By the Goddess! I'm such an idiot. What I almost threw away out of fear..." She leaned into Shepard and wrapped her arms around the woman she loved so deeply, closed her eyes and pressed their cheeks together, reveling in the warmth that spread through her body as Samantha exhaled softly and returned her embrace. Time meant nothing as they stood there wrapped in each other's arms, just being together. Shepard eventually pulled back a bit and brushed her lips across Liara's cheek, the Asari's lips catching hers as she turned to meet the kiss. Just like when Samantha walked into her office for the first time, Liara's passion flamed, only this time nothing happened to cause her to break away. This time, she kissed Samantha for all she was worth, one hand rising to entangle in her hair, her arm around Samantha's waist drawing their bodies as tightly together as her strength allowed. Before she realized, her eyes went black and she longingly probed for the familiar connection with Samantha. Suddenly realizing she did so without asking, she started to pull back, saying, "Oh, Goddess! I'm sorry..." Samantha cut her off, not aloud, but with a reaching mind, welcoming Liara back into her psyche. _{I've missed you so much, Blue! Welcome home, my love!}_

Shepard wasted no time, immediately opening herself to Liara completely, revealing all the confusion when she woke in the Cerberus lab, through the painful reunions with Ashley and Tali, including all the rejection she felt from Liara, the fear she had moved on. Even though she knew it pained the Asari, she held nothing back. She needed Liara to understand the hurt she had caused by not trusting in Samantha's love for her. Liara responded in kind, from the pain she felt at Samantha's death, through the hunt, the nightmares, until the now welcome 'betrayal' by Riana and the resultant visit from Sha'ira that finally gave her the strength to continue on. It was a long, exhausting meld for both of them, reliving and sharing all the pain, but a necessary one. When they finally withdrew, they found themselves seated on the floor leaning together for support, foreheads touching and four hands clasped together in their laps. Samantha looked at Liara and saw beautiful blue eyes, though weary, once more clear and focused. "So what now, dear Blue?"

Liara sighed. "I suppose you go back to your mission, and I continue with mine to find and destroy the Shadow Broker, both for what he tried to do to you and for his work with the Collectors." Liara's voice turned to steel as she finished. "And when I find him, I'll hit him with a biotic field so strong that what's left of his body will fit into a coffee cup."

Shepard stood, pulling Liara up with her as she spoke. "Liara, there is no 'your' mission and 'my' mission any more. There is only 'our' mission." Liara went to interrupt, but didn't get past "Shepard..." before Sam put a hand over her mouth. "If the Broker is helping the Collectors, then I need to help you take him down, to remove any support he may be providing them. You, better than anyone, know the extent of his network. We can't have the Broker telling the Collectors when and how we're going to attack them, now can we?"

Liara sighed, "How do you always do that? Just step in and take over, and somehow make it seem like the right thing to do?"

Shepard smiled, "Because it is the right thing to do. You may be the information broker, but I am the military strategist. And I'm not taking over, we're equal partners in all we do. You find the information, I'll plan the attack and we'll get it done... together. Use our combined strength, Liara. You know we make a great team."

Liara smiled back tiredly, saying, "Yes, the best." She leaned into Shepard again and hugged her tight, whispering, "Goddess, I missed you so much!" Shepard took a deep breath and released it, along with a huge portion of the tension she'd held since stepping off the Normandy onto Illium.

"Well, Dr T'Soni. Can...uhm... May I have the privilege of walking you home?" Shepard had a mischievous grin on her face.

Liara's eyes narrowed as she looked at Shepard and asked, "Do I detect an ulterior motive in your chivalrous quest, Commander?"

Shepard threw her a look of mock indignation. "But of course not! How can you think such a thing of me?"

Liara laughed, "Because you know perfectly well I have Riana to escort me."

Shepard grumped, "And I'm supposed to trust her? Did you not just recently reveal to me a betrayal on the part of said commando?"

Liara's eyes twinkled in amusement as she responded. "That I did, Commander. Come; let me show you the third of our lovely abodes."

As they stepped out the door and Liara locked up the office, her heart swelled with the realization of how much she had missed their playful banter. As they walked arm-in-arm to the Illium apartment, Riana followed in trail, extra vigilant because she knew 'perfectly well' that the two people in front of her were completely oblivious to the world around them.


	9. Trials and Tribulations

Aethyta had both Tevos and Mozia connected over a vid conference. "Yes, I can vouch for sure that Commander Shepard is alive and well, because she sat her ass down at my bar yesterday and we had a damn drink together!"

Tevos came online, "Though I didn't see her in person, I told you that much after she came to the Citadel...Did you actually manage to find anything out from Shepard, or did you two just enjoy a good drunk?"

Aethyta barked out a laugh. "Someone piss on your Thessian rose this morning, or you just mad cuz she didn't come see you while she was in town?" Aethyta waited for a response, but Tevos didn't take the bait, so she continued. "Yes, I got some info. Shepard had a Cerberus watchdog with her; Miranda Lawson...prissy bitch with a stick up her ass. Wasn't fond of Shepard having a liquid lunch. She also had a small Asian Human with her, named Kasumi. She had a good sense of humor, and while I never got a good look at her, I did notice she had what looked remarkably like an Athame stripe. She's an infiltrator if I ever saw one. That girl could disappear by turning sideways if you weren't keeping a close enough eye on her. Not a stitch of Cerberus on her though, and Shepard said she was here recruiting. Smart...I think she's picking up non-Cerberus add-ons for her crew to ensure loyalty if push comes to shove. And Mozia, you need to talk to your captain about maybe asking for some volunteers. If they're hiring outside of Cerberus, Shepard could probably use a few trustworthy commandos at her back...especially if she recruits my girl again and she ends up back on the ship with her. I want to make sure they stay safe."

Mozia was curious, "Thyta, if I asked for volunteers, every one of them would put their hand up. They adored Shepard when she was here, and every one of them would follow her to hell and back. Did she say anything about what she was recruiting for?"

Aethyta shook her head. "Not directly, but I asked her if she was going after the pirates raiding their Terminus colonies and she got real quiet. The mood definitely shifted, and she didn't exactly say yes, but her response was 'yeah, something like that' so I know I hit close to the mark. I doubt it's pirates...I was hoping she'd spill a bit but I got nothing. I'll keep my ear to the ground here; see if I can pick up any rumors."

Aethyta wrapped it up. "That's all I got, though I did try to push her back toward you, Tevos. I told her the Council has a short memory, and that with saving your ass only two years ago, you should be more accommodating. Maybe actually help instead of just promising to not get in the way. I'm no politician, but it's just a thought."

* * *

As soon as they entered the apartment, Shepard stopped and looked around, taking it all in. "Well, Dr T'Soni. Nice place you've got here."

Liara pushed her playfully with her shoulder. "You know my mother didn't do anything in small measure...and it's not mine, it's ours." She turned to Riana, asking her to fetch a couple of crates, and then turned back to Shepard. "I'd give you a tour, but the place is so wide open you can see everything from here. Feel free to wander while I slip into something a bit more comfortable."

Shepard grinned at the Asari and followed her upstairs to the loft bedroom, slowing to a snail's pace as she crested the top step and letting out a low whistle. "Wow. Love the aquarium." Sam had a soft smile on her face, "It will give me pleasant memories when I get back onboard the Normandy." Liara was changing into lounging clothes, but looked at her quizzically, expecting an explanation. "You'll feel right at home. The captain's quarters on the new Normandy has a big fish tank on one wall. No fish though, because I'm sure I'd get busy and forget to feed them. No sense in torturing them."

Liara walked over to her and gently trailed her fingertips across Sam's cheek. "You know, we're pretty much the same size. I can loan you some clothes if you want to get more comfortable." They smiled at each other; Shepard easily recognized the reference back to a particular night when they were still struggling with the boundaries of their relationship.

Shepard laughed gently, her eyes darkening suggestively. "I can drop my armor easy enough...and I'd be happy to accept anything you have to offer...you know, to help keep me warm."

Liara blushed and looked away. "Later, Commander... After I release Riana for the night." She glanced back, just catching Shepard out of the corner of her eye before being swept up into an embrace by her lover. Her eyes sparkling, Liara broke away, laughing at her mate. She then stepped back in, smacking away Shepard's attempts to renew full-body contact, and started undoing the armor catches. "Off. This isn't the most comfortable thing to hug, you know," Liara chastised. While Sam peeled off her armor, Liara grabbed some clothes for her; when Shepard was ready, she was stunned when Liara handed her a pair of N7 sweats.

It only took her a moment to figure it out and her mood turned somber. "Garrus told me you went to the crash site..."

Painful memories surfaced in her mind and were reflected on Liara's face as she took Shepard's hand. "Come, Samantha. Our time is short and we still have much to discuss."

Liara led Shepard downstairs and poured three glasses of wine, settled onto the couch and began the story. She and Riana told Sam of everything that happened on Alchera. What they found, what they collected, what they didn't find... and all the anguish and anger that resulted in the realization that someone purposely lured the Normandy into a trap. Shepard had seen the basics of this in the meld at the office, but now she had the complete story, including an additional perspective from the huntress.

Liara pointed out the crates that Riana had gone to get, telling Shepard they were the personal belongings the commandos were able to retrieve from the remains of her quarters. She beamed a huge smile at Sam. "You'll be particularly happy with a few things. We managed to salvage a number of your books, and one very special pair of leather riding boots."

Sam's face lit up. "You recovered my hovercycle boots?" Riana busted out laughing at the commander's expression, not quite understanding why anyone would want to ride one of those old, noisy contraptions. Shepard grinned, "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it! There's nothing like feeling that wind in your face and the freedom of not being encased in a hovercar. It's like flying!"

Liara laughed, "I don't care about the hovercycle...I want you back in your boots and jeans... those pants accentuate a certain part of your anatomy...deliciously." Liara blushed as she finished the statement, but Sam's face turned bright red as well, not believing Liara actually said those words aloud and not in a meld.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a loud growl coming from Shepard's stomach and Liara was aghast at her poor hostess proficiency. "By the Goddess! I know you! You probably haven't eaten all day! What was I thinking?"

Shepard looked at her sheepishly, actually embarrassed, both by being so predictable and by how loud the growl was. Liara called in an order to one of the local restaurants and sent Riana to fetch it, then moved to the kitchen and dug around to find something to serve as a suitable snack to keep Shepard from starving to death in the interim. As they sat back down to await Riana's return, Liara was concerned by an odd look on Sam's face and asked her if everything was alright. Shepard shrugged and replied, "Yeah, I guess. It's just weird. I've had to make myself eat since I woke up. I've had no hunger drive at all." She smiled adoringly at Liara. "I think I just needed you back to really start to feel normal again." Her face suddenly fell and she reached over and wiped away the tears starting to drizzle down Liara's face. "Hey! Blue! What's up?"

Liara gazed at the woman in front of her and whispered, "I've been so wrapped up in my own fears and pursuits, I've not considered how this has impacted you...suddenly waking up and finding everything you knew had changed so much. I've been so selfish, Samantha!"

Her confession brought on a new wave of tears and Samantha slid over and held her bondmate close. "Just let it go, Blue...We're together now and it's in the past. We'll take it one day at a time from here. We'll be alright... We'll be more than alright!"

When Riana arrived with the food, she found the pair still on the couch, throwing pieces of fruit at each other and trying to catch them in their mouths, giggling and laughing at one another. Riana breathed a sigh of relief for her mistress, knowing that at least for now Liara's days of darkness were at an end. They ate with a peaceful sense of camaraderie, and Riana helped them clean up when they were finished, then asked to be dismissed. Liara again looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, Riana. I don't know where my head is today." Riana flashed a knowing grin toward Shepard, but her manners were too good to say anything aloud. Liara, however, caught the look and laughed. "Yes, I suppose you are correct. I know exactly where my head has been. But I am still sorry. You didn't even have to stay and eat with us, though your fellowship and company is always appreciated. Feel free to enjoy the rest of your evening as you wish."

Riana bowed her head to both of them. "Thank you, Mistress. And it is wonderful to see you again, Shepard. I thanked the Goddess for your return to us. Enjoy your slumber; it is my honor to keep you safe in this house tonight."

Shepard blushed at the words and her throat constricted with a rush of emotion. Unable to make herself talk, she gave the surprised huntress a hug of thanks, then pushed her toward her room, finally croaking out in a husky voice, "Thank you, Riana. We'll see you in the morning."

As Riana smiled and retreated to her room, Liara ran her hand lovingly down Shepard's arm. "They all love and respect you, you know. Between your reputation and then actually meeting you on Thessia, you made quite the impression on them. They will all be happy to get news of your return."

Taking her hand gently, Liara led Shepard upstairs and made sure she had everything she needed to get ready for bed, and then completed her own evening routine. She finally sat on the edge of the bed and did a final check on the brokerage accounts for last minute emergencies, double-checked that all the apartment shades were drawn, and ensured the security system was enabled. She then sent a quick message to Judea, asking if she would be interested in assisting the Commander for a couple of days. The commando was apparently still awake, because Liara received an instant response. All it said was "When and where?" Liara typed back to join them for breakfast at 0800 hrs. She removed her omnitool and set it on her nightstand, then prepared to ask Shepard if she was still interested in any of her ulterior motives for walking her home. "So, Commander..." Her words died on her lips as she turned, realizing the great Commander Shepard was sound asleep. Liara looked at her tenderly, gently sweeping the hair off her face, and still reveled in the fact that Samantha was actually here. Two long years of waiting were over and she actually had her bondmate back in her life.

She propped herself up on one elbow and stretched out next to her lover, soothingly caressing her, running her fingertips around her face and then gently across her chest, the physical contact providing confirmation that Sam was real. Liara couldn't help herself; she leaned forward to press a soft kiss against those supple lips, and Samantha stirred awake, sleepy green eyes meeting impish blues. Liara whispered against the mouth she was kissing, her breath tickling Sam's lips. "I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry."

Samantha chuckled. "You are still such a bad liar, T'Soni."

Liara smiled in response, "Only to you, my love. I can't find it in my heart to deceive you." Sam's sleepy eyes drifted closed again, but not before she opened her arms and an eager Asari quickly snuggled into a shoulder that still smelled of leather and musk. _Goddess how I've missed this!_ Liara fell asleep listening to the steady beat of Samantha's heart and being gently rocked by the rhythmic rise and fall of her lover's chest. They both slept soundly, neither one plagued by their frequent nightmares.

* * *

Miranda was frantic. Shepard was gone; as in nowhere on the Normandy and her omnitool tracker was not functioning, gone. The Illusive Man had grossly misread the situation and now it was up to Miranda to fix it. He had insisted that all ties to Shepard's previous life be cut, but the plan was unraveling at every step. First off, the pilot and the doctor. She had to admit they were both extremely capable, more so than any of the other dossiers they had seen, and the Illusive Man had insisted on 'blind' selections, so the names and associations had been removed from the selection records. The picks were based strictly on experience and merit. Then, Archangel turned out to be the damn Turian, Garrus Vakarian. Follow that up with the set up on Horizon with Williams; that had gone just peachy. All it did was piss the commander off, resulting in a very ugly situation for all parties involved. Miranda sighed heavily and rested her forehead in her hands, elbows on her desk.

And then there was Illium; that was definitely the chart topper. On the way to see Dr T'Soni they ran into that Parasini woman, which in and of itself was not bad...until Shepard let slip that T'Soni was her bondmate. _Bondmate for God's sake! How did that slip through the profile? Hope Lillium was a dead woman for missing that little tidbit of data._ Now, Miranda had to somehow untangle this Gordian knot and make sense of it all. Unfortunately, she also realized that the answer did not start with the Illusive Man; it started with her conversation with Shepard about motivation and needing someone to care about. Miranda now knew that 'someone' was Dr Liara T'Soni, which was probably exactly where Shepard was right now.

The worst part about the whole thing was that Miranda had realized she actually liked Shepard. The commander didn't match any of the preconceptions Miranda had of her after reading the profiles that had been assembled. As far as Miranda was concerned, that meant every one of their so-called profile experts was off the mark. The XO didn't find the commander that hard to read; she was consistently straight up and honest. Hard to believe that such a person could actually exist, maybe, but hard to read? No, not difficult at all. Miranda was starting to realize that Cerberus personnel were so stilted, maybe they couldn't see the proverbial forest for the trees. They added hidden agendas where none existed, but the truth of the matter was that Shepard just simply, truly...cared. Apparently that was a very difficult concept for Cerberus personnel to grasp.

That realization, however, did nothing to solve the operative's dilemma. Where was Commander Shepard? Miranda had a very good idea, but with no way to track the commander, she could not validate her theory. Worse yet, was there was no 'best case' path for this scenario to follow. The Illusive Man had made it very clear that T'Soni was one relationship that was not to be renewed, and the commander had made it very clear that the relationship was the one and only thing that truly motivated her to complete the mission. There was no middle ground between those two positions and for the first time in her life, Miranda had absolutely no idea what to do.

* * *

Shepard woke sometime in the middle of the night and glanced at the Asari snuggled tightly to her, contentedly sleeping. Her tranquil face was the anchor in the storm that Sam's life had become since the moment the Normandy had come under attack by the Collectors. Sam gently stroked Liara's face and fluttered a soft kiss across her lips. Liara smiled in her sleep and made a happy humming noise but did not awaken, so Sam smiled and kept caressing her cheek. She was so caught up in the moment, she didn't even realize when she had started to quietly sing an old Faith Hill song that popped unbidden into her mind... Breathe.

Liara felt wakefulness tugging at her, but she was warm and content in a dream about Samantha coming home to her. She fought to stay asleep, to hold onto the dream and the comfort it gave. Slowly, her mind started to register a voice softly singing, and whether she was ready or not to wake up, she found herself catching hold of the words...and the fact that it was Samantha's voice. As her eyes peeked open to embrace reality, she couldn't keep from smiling. Samantha was there, not just in a dream, but in the flesh. Sam's eyes were closed as she gently caressed her lover's cheek and sang softly to her, and it swelled Liara's heart, her pulse rate surging. "In a way I know my heart is waking up; As all the walls come tumbling down; I'm closer than I've ever felt before and I know and you know; there's no need for words right now...'Cause I can feel you breathe; It's washing over me," Sam heard Liara take a sharp inhale of breath and opened her eyes, realizing the Asari was awake. Her soft lilting voice faded as she finished the line, "Suddenly I'm melting into you," and she leaned over, now humming the tune, while catching Liara's lips into a deep sensuous kiss that was eagerly returned.

When Liara met her lips with such enthusiasm, Sam felt the heat spike in her core and groaned into the kiss, sliding the hand that had been caressing a cheek down to the folds at the side of Liara's neck and massaging them gently up to the base of her crest. She felt Liara shudder under her touch and then she reached out to wrap Sam in a full-body embrace, entwining their legs together and wrapping an arm about her waist, pulling Sam fully on top of her. Liara's other hand went to its customary position and her fingers were soon entangled in the hair at the back of Sam's neck. When she couldn't take any more, Sam pulled away and gasped for air, only to have her lips pulled back down to an open mouth and a tongue dancing for contact. Sam opened her kiss and joined in the duel, while rolling over and pulling her partner along with her, so Liara ended up on top. Sam's hands, no longer needed to suspend herself over the ardent Asari, raked slowly down Liara's back, remembering all the pressure points they had so diligently sought out during their previous encounters. Liara broke the kiss, panting, and moaning in pleasure from the stimulation, arching strongly into Samantha's talented hands. She managed an "Oh... Goddess!" before her breathing became too ragged to allow words.

Sam finished her sweep and slid the fingers of one hand gently into the sensitive folds in the small of Liara's back while her other hand planted on Liara's hip, shifting her just slightly to the side so their legs were offset. Seeking relief from her own ache that was building, Samantha breathed "Liara!" as she rocked her hips to rub her clit down her lover's leg, using the pressure of the hand grasping Liara's hip to provide more friction. When Liara felt Sam's dripping warmth grind against her thigh, she felt her own stomach muscles ripple and an answering wave of wetness exploded from her core. When she heard the want in Sam's voice as she spoke her name, Liara forced her hips up, breaking contact, and heard a distressed whine of protest from her bondmate. The distress turned instantly to mewls of delight as Liara replaced her thigh with her hand, providing pressure to the wanting nub with her thumb while drawing teasing circles in the wet folds with her finger tips. Sam's hips immediately bucked into Liara's hand, seeking more as she hissed between clenched teeth, "Oh, by my Blue Goddess... Liara... please!" Samantha also answered in kind, her hand sliding from the hip to Liara's own dripping center. The minute Sam's fingers started to slide across the wet folds, Liara whimpered in pleasure and her eyes swirled black, Sam readily welcoming the loving mental touch to augment the physical pleasures they were already sharing. When she embraced the union meld, Sam felt a difference from what she remembered. There was an undercurrent of desperation and a hint of fear in Liara's mental touch that had never been there, even during the desperate meld after her mother's death, when Liara was looking for reconnection, for an affirmation of life.

Liara's insecurities echoed through their initial contact and Sam answered it by sending strong thoughts of love and tenderness toward her bondmate. The physical aspect of their joining fell to the background while Sam focused on strengthening and renewing their intellectual and emotional connections, calling up images of the nights they made love on the Normandy, the night after Liara showed her Armali, and the night on the beach under the Thessian moon; all the time, pulling Liara deeper into her memories, recalling every shared moment she could remember. Samantha basically relived their life together. Their three years, from Therum to the present moment, passed in the blink of an eye, and Liara followed willingly, seeking reassurance, gradually opening herself up as well and fully renewing and strengthening their bond. They had experienced deep melds before, sharing thoughts, emotions and physical pleasures to the point where they were practically echoes of one another, but this was different. For the first time ever, every one of Sam and Liara's memories were naked to inspection; there were absolutely no walls, and boundaries ceased to exist. They suddenly found themselves on another plane of existence, surrounded by a silent darkness, yet each could see their partner with ease, each alit with their own unique aura, seeming to echo the color of their eyes.

Liara's aura was cast in an azure blue, her form glowing with bright sparks of power that followed her movements. Sam was entranced by this new aspect of her bondmate, and soaked up her radiant beauty as she approached. She looked down at her own hands and realized she was also enveloped by an aura, though a deep sea-foam green. She turned her hands palms up and realized where Liara radiated sparks, like burning embers flying off a fire, Sam's movements generated swirling eddies and tides whose ripples also faded with time and distance. Liara's eyes were wide with wonder as she looked at the Human embodiment of the Thessian seas before her, and though words had no power in the silence, Samantha somehow understood that Liara had never been here, had never experienced nor even heard of this phenomena in Asari culture. They tentatively reached toward one another, exploring the new territory together, and as they lay their palms together, their auras sparked and swirled together and they both gradually...changed. Their auras blended into a unified beautiful teal, though each still maintained their individuality; Liara's embers remained azure, and Sam's swirls were still a subdued sea-foam. Their eyes lifted together and they stared into each other's souls with a connection deeper than either thought possible, and their fears, insecurities and doubts fled before the strength of their love.

They stood together, their eyes smiling as pure contentment settled over both of their beings. In some way, they both sensed when a new equilibrium had been established and they leaned into one another and kissed. The kiss plunged them back to the physical plane and their physical joining screamed back to the forefront with a joint orgasm tearing through them both with incredible intensity. Their shared ecstasy erupted from throats no longer silenced, their heat a raging forest fire and the aftershocks like ripples turned tsunami, leaving them both crying from the overwhelming emotions and trembling in their exhaustion. The meld fell away, Liara too tired to maintain it and the two collapsed together on the bed in a mess of soaked sheets and entangled limbs. Liara closed her eyes and listened to Sam's racing heartbeat as it gradually slowed and lulled her back into sleep. Sam's groggy tongue slurred its way through "_I love you_" before she too was dragged down by her fatigue. Both were so tired, neither noticed that the words also reverberated through a mental connection that should not have existed after Liara dropped the meld.

* * *

Liara's omnitool chimed at 0700 hrs and she silenced it by knocking it off the nightstand while trying to find the appropriate button. Fortunately, when it rang again ten minutes later, it was out of reach and she actually had to get up to find it on the floor in order to shut it off. She collapsed back on the bed in exhaustion, but all her activity had woken Shepard as well, who reached over and laid a hand gently on her hip...caressing...soothing. Liara thought to herself how nice it was to wake up next to her bondmate, and was somewhat surprised when Samantha seemed to answer her. "I want to wake up this way every day the rest of my life, Blue."

Liara smiled and rolled over to Sam, whispering, "Mmmm, me too." Liara's eyes wanted so badly to just stay closed, and she whispered again, "Goddess, I am so tired...what did you do to me last night?" Sam rolled over to face her, "You mean that wasn't a dream? We actually did...whatever that was?" Suddenly Sam bolted upright in the bed. "Blue?... We didn't... You're not pregnant, are you?"

Liara wanted to laugh, but she could see the panic threatening to erupt from the commander, so answered earnestly, "No, Samantha, that was definitely not a reproductive meld." Liara's thoughts kept running, _I have absolutely no idea what that was,_ but she did not say it out loud.

Sam asked, "You don't?" For the second time, Liara took notice that Sam was answering questions she hadn't actually voiced, and she sat up. The first time may have been coincidence, but the second was too specific to be chance. Slightly worried, she asked Sam, "I don't what?"

Sam looked at her like she was too groggy to know what she was saying, "You said you had no idea what that was. I was just asking for more details." Sam was suddenly very much awake, noting a panic spreading across Liara's face. "Blue, what's the matter?" Liara didn't answer, and her breathing rate picked up to the point where Sam was worried she was going to hyperventilate. "Ok, Liara. Look at me." When their eyes met, alarmed blues met calm greens and Sam cupped both sides of Liara's face as she spoke gently, "Breathe, Blue. Relax. Easy. Slow. I'm here for you. Better. Now... tell me what's going on."

Liara looked scared when she answered, "I don't know, Samantha. You are hearing my thoughts... I did not ask that question aloud, yet you answered it like you heard it plain as day. It would not be unusual if we were melded, but we are not! I don't know how that is possible... I have heard of Asari getting 'stuck' but I've heard it is painful. This...does not hurt me... you are not in any pain, are you?" Samantha shook her head and thought _I love you_ and waited for a reaction.

Liara's eyes got big and she said, "Goddess! I love you too, but what is this? I've never heard of such a thing!" She sat back against the headboard, and Sam dropped her hands into her lap, Liara now out of reach. Liara could feel waves of encouragement from her bondmate, and had to comment. "I have to admit, it is somewhat comforting to feel your reassurances wrapping about me, if I could only understand how it is possible. Why are you smiling like that?"

Sam spoke aloud, "You didn't hear me that time, did you?" Liara shook her head no, and Sam reached out and grabbed her hand. _And now?_ Liara yanked her hand away like she had been burned, and looked at her partner in shock. She slowly gave her hand back to Samantha. _So we need to be touching? _Sam laughed and said, "Apparently so. I believe whatever happened last night created an 'auto-meld' if such a thing exists."

Liara's brow wrinkled in concentration for a moment and then she spoke. "But I still felt emotions when we weren't touching. So, for clear thought, we need contact. Emotions do not need contact...but I wonder if distance affects it?" Sam let out a deep sigh in relief. Liara's fear had been replaced by her scientific curiosity and Sam actually felt the calming of her nerves in response. Liara also felt the echo in the change. "Oh...my. That was me...wasn't it?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah. This could take some getting used to. We'll have to experiment with it later, but for now, let's get some breakfast. I actually woke up hungry. It's a good sign I'm on the road to recovery!"

Liara suddenly looked at the clock. "Breakfast! Judea is going to meet us here in twenty minutes!" The corner of Sam's lips twitched up as she pushed calm and relaxed thoughts toward Liara, her face breaking into a full up grin when Liara turned and looked at her, message received. Liara smiled, "Hmmm. This could be useful." They both got up and raced to the shower to start their day.

* * *

Over breakfast, Sam and Liara talked over their plans for the next two days. Sam needed to chase down the Justicar and the assassin, and apparently Judea was now glued to her hip for the duration. The pilot was thrilled to be in the field, instead of in the cockpit for a few days. Sam was a little concerned with her being out of practice. Judea was adamant that her cockpit time was limited, and she was always working local jobs for Dr T'Soni, Information Broker, so was not as out of practice as the commander may assume. Shepard reluctantly agreed to her assistance, but on the condition that Shepard would send her packing the minute she felt Judea was compromising the squad. Judea did not hesitate to agree, and Liara was the one to breathe a sigh of relief. She now had someone she really trusted to watch Samantha's back on the ground team. Liara promised to try to not worry too much, but she had a full day at the office and a list of things that had to be done, otherwise she would have insisted on being at Sam's side as well. She told Shepard to call her or stop by the office whenever she wanted, and certainly if she needed any information or assistance. Liara knew how limited their time was, so promised to make herself available around Samantha's schedule.

Shepard looked balefully at her omnitool and turned it back on. Liara watched her and laughed, "I wondered how it was possible that Commander Shepard was not bothered at all hours of the night last night." As Shepard's wrist started beeping every few seconds, Liara started laughing at the look of consternation that rapidly expanded across her face.

Shepard grimaced, "I have eighteen messages...just from Miranda!" Shepard was suddenly hit with an intense wall of hatred and she jerked her head up to look at Liara. As soon as she made eye contact, Liara's eyes showed surprise and she looked away, blushing. Sam's eyes narrowed as she spoke, "We are so talking about that later, Doctor. Perhaps I should have paid more attention last night...I think I missed something in your story telling." Liara just closed her eyes and sighed. She knew that tone of voice, and knew that Shepard was not going to let it go. She resigned herself to at least a small portion of the night being very unpleasant.

Shepard stood, and Judea quickly followed. Liara walked over and wrapped her arms around her bondmate and gave her a deep kiss. "That's my promise for 'later,' Commander. Come back to me safe."

Shepard smiled, "How can I say no to an offer like that?" The commander messaged Miranda to let her know she was not AWOL and she'd meet her on the Normandy shortly. With a last smile for Liara, she and Judea headed out the door.


	10. Shifting Allegiances

Shepard rolled onto the Normandy like a storm. First stop was the Armory to talk to Jacob. She introduced Judea, told him she'd be going on the Justicar mission with them, and to provide her with any upgrades to armor and weapons he thought she could effectively use. "When you're done, pass her over to Garrus. They know each other and can catch up if there is time. I'll be talking to Miranda."

Shepard then made a direct transit to Miranda's office, expecting the operative to be positively furious. As she stepped in the door, she realized she could not have been further from the truth. Miranda looked up when the door opened and Shepard saw an immense wave of relief wash over the normally stoic XO. Miranda stood up so quickly her chair fell over. As soon as the door closed, she blurted out, "Oh, thank God!" Shepard was stumped, so didn't say anything, just waiting for Miranda to explain. Miranda seemed to collect herself, turning and setting her chair back upright, then turned and faced the commander.

Shepard could tell the operative was uncharacteristically nervous, and her curiosity got the better of her. "Miranda...is everything alright? Did something happen while I was ...offline?"

Miranda sat down at her desk and gestured to the couch in front. "Commander, please sit. This could take a while. As far as if something happened, other than me thinking I lost the Illusive Man's four billion credit investment...you could say that. You could say I had an epiphany." Miranda started at the beginning of Project Lazarus and told Shepard a lot. She told her of the profiles, and how wrong they all were. She told her of the instructions from the Illusive Man to alienate the previous crew and sever the ties from Shepard to her previous life. She told her of the dossiers, and how they were blind selections, and it was turning out that Shepard already had the best, and they just ended up selecting the same people. And then she told Shepard about the dilemma over Liara. Shepard jumped up, ready to fight, but Miranda held up both hands in supplication. "Please, Commander. Don't. This is my epiphany. I know the Illusive Man is wrong, but I don't know how to fix it without getting someone killed."

Shepard just stared at her XO in amazement. After a couple minutes of silence, amazed that Miranda didn't feel the need to either defend TIM or jump in and fill the quiet, Shepard finally sat back down and spoke. "Who are we trying to not get killed?" A sudden surge of fear engulfed the commander. "He wouldn't target Liara...? Would he?"

Miranda sighed and hung her head. "Well, you certainly didn't earn any points by walking out on him." She looked up and met Shepard's eyes. "And I honestly don't know who is more at risk. I tell him about the importance of the relationship and all the profilers who missed it are dead. I let it back in the door, so maybe I'm dead as well... and if he's really that set against it, Liara would most certainly be a target."

Shepard watched Miranda as she spoke, and saw none of the normal signs of deception. "Well, that doesn't paint a pretty picture, does it? We need this mission to succeed; so I hate to say it, but of the choices you just gave me...you tell him about the relationship and we sacrifice the profilers, if indeed that's the path TIM takes. Me...Liara...you, not acceptable losses at this point. So what's next? How much time do we have?"

Miranda replied weakly, "He probably already knows that you've met back up with Liara, but we can stall for a little while. I figured you'd want to make provisions while we were here. And if at all possible, I would like to meet with Liara."

Shepard laughed at that. "Now who's suicidal? I got a distinct impression from her this morning that she would like nothing better than to smear you the length of the cargo deck at the earliest opportunity. I don't know why, but she harbors a particularly strong hatred for you, Operative Lawson. Care to shed light?"

Miranda nodded. "You deserve at least that much. To Liara, the Illusive Man is an abstract concept, other than a brief holo with him explaining the Lazarus project. So, from her perspective, the face of Cerberus is me. I'm sure she attributes all the deception, all the pressure and angling, everything... to me. And I don't blame her in the slightest. But, I realize how much of a blind fool I've been, thanks to you, and I want to make up for it. I doubt she can ever forgive me, but I want to at least make the effort. To at least have her give me the chance to make it up to you both. I mean, I did bring you back. That has to count for something. And I gave you at least 400 years; that should also help my cause." The commander's face suddenly went completely blank. Miranda looked at her and called to her, "Shepard? Shepard! Are you all right?"

Shepard looked at Miranda and simple said, "I forgot. I can't believe I didn't tell her!"

Miranda was puzzled at first, but then realized what the commander was talking about. "You didn't tell her about the extended life span? Good! Then let me! Her office will be the first stop on the path to the Justicar!"

* * *

Shepard walked into Liara's office alone, and the Asari was in her arms in a flash. As Liara hugged the commander, she whispered in Shepard's ear, "I missed you, my love!"

Shepard laughed. "But I've only been gone a few hours..."

Liara caressed her bondmate's cheek, "I don't care. I've missed you for two years...I can't possibly make up for that lost time, no matter what we do!"

Shepard took a small step back and made eye contact as she spoke, "Liara, I have people with me. They're waiting in the reception area to come in. Of course there's Judea, but I also have Garrus...he has some things to say. When I confronted him, he apologized to me for his lack of belief in me. He already had the opportunity to talk to Judea, but he feels he owes you an apology as well...Will you at least listen to him?"

Liara looked at the floor. "I almost begged him to stay, and he walked away from me...from you, Shepard. I don't know what to say to him." She looked at Shepard beseechingly, hoping for some help, but there was none.

"You two just need to figure it out. He seems sincere, but you have to make your own choices on how you deal with it. I can't tell you to forgive him, that's up to you." Sam looked at Liara with a slightly pained expression, knowing the Turian's abandonment had hurt the Asari. "Also, I have Miranda with me."

Liara's rage from the morning welled back up and Shepard could feel it pressing against the back of her head. Time had not seemed to dampen the new emotional link the two shared. "Please, just hear her out. She has some...very interesting things to say." Shepard winced as the pressing anger turned into a sharp pain behind her eyes.

Liara watched the pained expression cross the Spectre's face. "Shepard? What's wrong?"

Shepard squeezed her eyes closed for a second, Liara's concern slightly tempering the anger at Lawson, then answered as she opened them back up. "That emotional bond we seem to have forged? Your anger at Miranda is drilling holes in my skull right now..."

A look of surprise and then sorrow flashed across Liara's face. "Oh, Goddess! I'm so sorry, Shepard!" Shepard felt the pain withdraw to a much more tolerable level as Liara continued, "I'll have to learn to shield myself a bit better..."

She didn't get far before Shepard stepped up, hugged her and interrupted her statement, whispering in her ear, "Don't you dare shield your feelings from me, Blue. We'll get used to it. It's just that it's all so new right now. We'll adapt...but I don't want that adaptation being us hiding feelings from one another! Agreed?"

Liara smiled in adoration. "I love you, Samantha Shepard, and I'll agree...with conditions. We have to make sure they don't become a distraction." Liara got very serious. "With what we have coming, a distraction like that could be dangerous, if not deadly." She quirked up one of her eyebrow markings as she asked, "Agreed?"

Sam nodded and agreed, then asked Liara who she wanted to see first. It was Garrus, and she asked Shepard to stay while they talked. Liara found Garrus to be very sincere, and while she wasn't quite ready to truly forgive him, she did accept his apology for what it was worth. It had all worked out in the end, and though she didn't tell Garrus, Liara still had the Seer's words in the back of her mind, about him delivering Shepard safely to her. Liara needed Garrus to be at his top form, because she didn't know if what the Seer had talked about had yet come to pass. Either way, Garrus was a strong team mate and Shepard needed her sniper to be on his toes.

When they were done, Garrus and Miranda traded places. Shepard insisted on staying, though Liara did not protest so it didn't matter. As Miranda retold everything she had told Shepard earlier about the Illusive Man's desire to cut off all the relationships, Liara exploded. Her lips twisted in a snarl, Liara spat out, "You told Shepard I worked for the Shadow Broker!"

Miranda was caught completely off guard, and her surprised showed in her voice as she shouted, "What? I never said any such thing!"

Liara's hands started to glow blue as she growled out, "Don't you dare lie to me!"

Shepard quickly stepped in front of Liara, grasping her upper arms. "Whoa! Hold on! Miranda didn't tell me that! TIM is the one who gave me the crew rundown." Without letting go of her bondmate, Shepard slowly turned her head to look at Miranda, narrowing her eyes. "You tell me the truth this instant. Were you part of TIM's deception about Liara working for the Shadow Broker, in an attempt to keep us apart?"

Miranda shook her head vehemently. "That's absurd! I never knew the Illusive Man told you that! Dr T'Soni helped me steal you from the Broker. He would never trust her to work for him. If she had approached the Broker, he would have killed her! I may have left a lot of information out in the past, Commander, but I have never intentionally lied to you and I don't plan on starting now."

Shepard felt the energy draining from her bondmate's arms, so let go and stepped back out of the way so they could finish their 'discussion.' By the time Miranda was done, Liara grudgingly accepted her explanations and her offer of assistance. "I'm not going to trust you any time soon, Ms Lawson, but I can promise you I won't be the one hiring your assassin." Shepard let out a big breath she didn't realize she was holding, and then looked at Miranda expectantly.

Miranda caught the look and jerked her head back to refocus on Liara. "Oh... right. There is one other thing I need to tell you..." As Liara looked ready to change her mind about the assassin, Miranda hurried to explain about the nanite technology and its effects. As Miranda finished talking about the actual technology and started explaining about the extended life spans, Liara's eyes slowly drifted off of Miranda and completely focused on Shepard.

Shepard recognized the glassy-eyed look and could feel the overwhelming mix of love and disbelief radiating off the Asari through their new link. Shepard locked eyes with Liara, but spoke to Miranda, cutting her off, "Thanks, Miranda...we'll...uhm... finish the complete explanation later. If you wouldn't mind waiting in the reception area, I'll join you in a minute."

A quick glance between the two and Miranda completely understood that the commander was asking for privacy and she was out of the room like a bullet. Shepard stepped up to Liara, slowly enveloping the Asari in her arms, and held her tight. She felt the soft sobs of her lover, and felt the damp tears dripping down onto the base of her neck. "I know. A bit of a shock, isn't it?"

Shepard felt Liara choke out a light laugh. "Goddess. I'm just barely getting a grip on the fact that you're actually alive and here with me, and now I learn I have you for at least 400 years?" Liara leaned back and caught Sam's eyes with her own. She wanted to speak, but couldn't find the words to say. Shepard leaned forward and captured her blue lips in a solid kiss, and the full meld instantly took over. The sensations and strength of emotions were staggering, and Samantha broke off the kiss, pulling back. Liara tried to lean back in, but Shepard reluctantly held her at bay. "By the Gods, Blue. I...We'll finish this later, I promise...but I... I can't believe I'm saying this... but I've got to go."

A resigned look swept over Liara's face. "Someday, you're not going to run off immediately following one of us saying, 'duty calls.' I don't care what time you get done with the Justicar. Come to the apartment when you're done, and bring Judea with you."

"A blood raged Krogan couldn't keep me away." Shepard smiled as she caressed the Asari's cheek in farewell and then turned and left the office. Liara watched her go and locked the door. She logged onto her secure terminal and sent a short message to Hannah, simply telling her that all was now well on the home front.

* * *

The group headed down to the transportation and shipping hubs to find Tracking Officer Dara and Shipping Officer Seryna. On the way, they passed a Salarian who was on a call and mentioned Nassana Dantius. Shepard's ears perked up and she slowed to listen in on the conversation; Dantius was the Asari Emissary that had lied to Shepard about her sister Dahlia being kidnapped, when actually Dahlia had been the leader of the merc band at the coordinates Nassana had provided. What the Asari had pitched as a rescue was actually a hit, because Dahlia was blackmailing Nassana, who wanted Shepard to remove the problem. Reining in her thoughts and refocusing on the task at hand, Shepard listened in on the call.

According to the Salarian, he was working in the Dantius Towers when Nassana started tossing her workers out ... and her mercs were killing any of the innocent workers who didn't leave fast enough. In his haste to escape, he had dropped their family breeding record somewhere along the way as he exited the building. The loss would make the Kirosa family highly undesirable for breeding contracts, and potentially cause the end of the entire Kirosa line. Shepard's blood boiled; no way she'd let a criminal like Nassana Dantius be responsible for the end of an entire Salarian family line. _That damn Asari is still playing dirty and still causing chaos! I'm going to make time while I'm here to take care of her once and for all..._

Shepard stopped at the shipping desk to talk to Seryna, her contact for the assassin, Thane Krios. Cautious, but forthcoming, Seryna gave Shepard information she almost couldn't believe. It was her good fortune that the assassin was actually hunting Nassana Dantius. Shepard had every intention of letting him complete the job before she tried to recruit him, but that meant her timing would have to be perfect. The ground team would have to arrive at Nassana's office just before the assassination; too early and they may tip Dantius off, too late and Krios would be gone before they could talk to him. Liara had certainly pointed them in the right direction; Seryna used to run Nassana's security and she was more than happy to give them the complete rundown on the setup in the Dantius Towers as well as the timing on the attack. The team walked away happy. They had thirty-six hours to find Samara and then meet Seryna at the transportation dock. She had offered to drop them at the Towers and Shepard happily accepted.

Next stop was to visit Officer Dara, but Shepard and Judea had a surprise as they approached the Tracking Office; the commando Shiala saw them and greeted them by name. Shepard looked at the Asari and quickly realized all was not well. Shiala was...green; she looked like one of the Thorian clones, not like herself. "Shiala! What's the matter? Why are you here?"

Shiala looked at the floor, embarrassed. "Obviously, you've noticed my coloring. My biotic abilities are unstable as well. It is a symptom of a larger problem... Some of the colonists also had health problems as a result of the Thorian. We hired Baria Frontiers to do medical scans to determine the cause and provide treatment for next to nothing in exchange for research they wanted to accomplish. We were not careful enough in the contract review. It apparently allows the company to perform invasive procedures without our consent. That's why I'm here, but I cannot persuade the rep to change the contract."

Shepard and Shiala spoke for a bit about the terms of the contract, and Shepard agreed to help. She shook her head. "Let me talk to the Baria Frontiers rep and see what I can do."

Shiala's face showed great relief, "I appreciate it, Shepard. She would not give me the time of day when I approached her on it."

Shepard headed directly to the rep and didn't even get to say hello before the Asari stared her down and started speaking, "I saw your conversation, Human. You're here to complain about the medical contract. It's perfectly legal so do not waste your time bothering me."

Shepard was surprised at the hostility in the Asari, and questioned why she was so angry. It didn't take long to dig into the root of the problem. She blamed aliens for all the bad things in the galaxy; Salarian explorers releasing the Rachni, then uplifting the Krogans, the warlike Turians eager to bomb away every problem, or the humans...the newest bullies in the galaxy. The Asari were the peacekeepers, and every war that plagued the galaxy was caused by some other race. She ended her tirade, "My people's deaths are on your hands!"

Shepard caught the tone of her last statement, and it seemed to carry more weight than a generality, so she asked the Asari, "Just whose deaths are we talking about here?"

The Asari spit venomously, "The mother of my daughters was killed on the Quarian homeworld during the initial Geth uprising." Her voice then lost its power as she turned away in tears and continued, "My daughters died on the Citadel when the Geth attacked. One worked in the Embassy, the other a greeter for the Consort. I am not speaking in hypotheticals, Human. The aliens will never be my allies. The best they can do is give me useful medical data."

Shepard knew Asari were generally social beings, but she was still surprised by the Asari's openness about the cause of her grief. Shepard looked at her with an expression of sorrow on her face. "I'm very sorry for your losses, but your bondmate chose to be with the Quarians. Your daughters willingly worked with aliens every day in their jobs at the Citadel. It does not sound like they hated aliens. How do you think they would feel to see you treating them this way? You dishonor their memory. The colonists were trying to live peacefully and because of the Geth and the Thorian creature they have also suffered loss. It is within your power to not add to their anguish." As Shepard spoke, she watched a change come over the Baria Frontiers rep; her anger changed to angst and the pain of loss. Shepard knew the look well.

The Asari backed to the wall and squatted down, crying when confronted by Shepard's words. "Goddess. They would be so angry with me... I am sending an amended contract. No more tests, no fees. You are correct; there is enough grief in the galaxy. I don't need to add to it." Shepard extended her hand and the Asari took it, rising slowly and turning away in her grief. Shepard had nothing to add, so quietly turned and walked away.

Shiala was very happy with the results and promised to keep working with the colonists to improve their situation. Shepard wished Shiala well, and reminded her when and if the colonists stopped needing her or wanting her at the colony, she would always be welcome back on Thessia. They parted with a smile, and Shepard proceeded into the Tracking Office to talk to Dara. Officer Dara was instantly nervous at the query, worried that Samara had killed someone already and a diplomatic incident was about to explode in her face. After assuring the officer they just needed to find the Justicar, Dara was happy to point them on their way, with a few warnings about Justicars in general. The Justicar code was very strict and unforgiving; the innocent had nothing to fear, but Justicars were bound by their code to punish lawbreakers, generally with lethal force. To them, the law was black and white, with no middle ground. It made Shepard realize she would have to question the Justicar carefully before recruiting her, if for no other reason than everyone else they had on the list to recruit...a convict, a thief, an assassin.

Following her instructions, they hailed a cab to the commercial space port. As they landed, a detective was harassing a Volus about not leaving Illium until some murder was solved. He claimed no knowledge, and Shepard wondered if Officer Dara's worst fear of the Justicar had just occurred. After the detective left, Shepard approached the Volus and asked him some questions, finding out the only way to get to the Justicar was to talk to Detective Anaya on the police station; she had sealed the crime scene, and the Justicar had been allowed access. With that information, the Normandy ground crew headed in to talk to the detective. As they walked up, Detective Anaya looked directly at Shepard, "Nice guns...try not to use them in my district. What can I do for you?"

Shepard explained about her hunt for the Justicar and the detective was actually pleased. She had been ordered by her superiors to detain the Justicar and convince her to leave Illium before anything happened. This posed a significant problem for the detective; being Asari, she knew all about Justicars and how focused they were on their missions. The detective had no authority over the Justicar, and Samara would kill her if she felt the detective was impeding her current mission. The detective gave Shepard permission to enter the crime scene and find the Justicar, in the hope Shepard could convince her to leave...and solve the detective's problem without anyone ending up dead. Anaya looked at Shepard and said it plainly enough, "I have no interest in dying, so if you can lure her away with some big noble cause before I have to carry out my orders, I'm thrilled to help you. I'll send word to the line to let you in. Be careful, you look like you can handle yourself, but the local Eclipse mercs have been all over those back alleys lately."

They began to encounter mercs almost as soon as they crossed the police line. Being Eclipse, they also had mech support, but the resistance was nothing they hadn't faced before, and with Miranda and Judea both backing up Shepard with biotics as well as conventional weapons, the targets were down before Garrus even got his sniper out. They pressed on quickly, eager to find the Justicar...and Shepard was more than happy to erase a few more mercs from existence. As they went through a doorway and crossed a second police line, they found their target. As they walked in, they heard a scream and a merc smashed into the wall, collapsing to the floor, dead. An Eclipse lieutenant stood facing the Justicar, "Those were my best troops."

Shepard watched the lieutenant as she was approached by the Justicar, an older Asari who carried herself very regally, dressed in red armor that was amazingly low cut. It immediately made Shepard think of the night before and someplace else she'd rather be. She quickly shook her head and refocused, noticing the gold trim on the armor, as well as a gold neckband and some type of red accents or accessories across her forehead and temples.

The Justicar was glowing, sheathed in blue biotic power, "Tell me what I need to know, and I will be gone from here. Where did you send her?"

The lieutenant was obviously not very smart, or at least uneducated in the Justicar way. Just from what Dara and Anaya had told her, Shepard knew the merc was dead if she didn't answer Samara's questions. Apparently the merc didn't know any better as she spoke, "You think I'd betray her? She would hurt me in ways you can't imagine."

Samara pressed for answers, pacing back and forth before the merc, but never taking her eyes off her target. "The name of the ship. Your life hangs on the answer, Lieutenant."

The lieutenant didn't budge. "You can kill me, but one of us will take you down, Justicar." As she finished her sentence, she raised her pistol to shoot at Samara.

Shepard's team watched as Samara lifted the merc and threw her through a window, and then floated herself down to follow. The lieutenant was still alive and Samara calmly walked up to the prone merc and placed her foot on the merc's neck, pinning her to the floor. "What was the name of the ship she left on?"

Shepard had to give the lieutenant credit; she did not break under pressure. Her response to the Justicar was an emphatic, "Go to hell!"

Samara was very calm as she quietly spoke her final words to the lieutenant. "Find peace in the embrace of the goddess." Samara then unceremoniously twisted her leg and foot hard, breaking the merc's neck. She turned to Shepard, speaking, "My name is Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel is with these Eclipse sisters, but I see four well-armed people before me. Are we friend, or foe?"

Shepard showed both her hands, palms out and empty of weapons, introduced herself, and explained her mission and her purpose for being there. Samara nodded politely, "You honor me, but I am in the middle of an investigation. Though I sense the truth in what you say, I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive. I cornered her here, but the Eclipse sisters smuggled her off-world. I must find the name of the ship she left on before the trail grows cold."

They all turned as they heard Detective Anaya's voice behind them. "I wish you were willing to go with the Human, Justicar. I've been ordered to take you into custody if you won't leave."

Samara walked up to the detective, without fear or malice, "You risk a great deal by following your orders, Detective. I respect such bravery and, fortunately, I will not have to resist. My code obligates me to cooperate with you for one day. After that, I will return to my investigation."

Anaya just shook her head, knowing what was coming. "I won't be able to release you that soon, unless you promise to depart Illium."

Samara simply said, "You won't be able to stop me."

Before things got out of hand, Shepard stepped in. "Wait... just wait! Don't do anything rash! I have an offer... I am willing to press the Eclipse, and find the name of the ship for you...while you are in custody. If I am successful, will you depart Illium with me?"

The detective listened hopefully as Samara responded, "Yes. If you do that I will join you. The Code will be satisfied." As the detective and Samara prepared to leave, Samara had some final words of guidance. "Talk to the Volus, Pitne For. Eclipse mercs are preparing to kill him. Get the truth from him. He is involved in this and may know a way into the Eclipse base. Thank you, Shepard."

Pitne For was a coward; after a brief confrontation he willingly gave up instructions and his pass into the Eclipse base. The Eclipse was after For and his partner for smuggling a chemical onto Illium that boosted biotic power...but was also toxic. They had failed to tell the Eclipse about the toxic part, so Eclipse had put a contract out on him and his partner. Shepard had no sympathy, telling the Volus, "Good luck with that," and the team was soon on their way. As soon as they entered the base, they encountered their first mercs, along with mech support. Shepard immediately went into her Vanguard 'crash and blast' mode, pulling on her biotic charge and then blasting what remained with her shotgun, leaving the rest of her team scrambling to catch up. When they cleared the first room, Miranda grabbed Shepard's arm stopping her for a moment. "Shepard! Slow down, please... Pitne For neglected to mention the stuff is toxic even in its airborne state. Just passing through the clouds is dangerous. Your charge takes you through quickly, but we have to either wait for the cloud to clear, or be able to see beyond it to run to the next cover."

Shepard growled, "That little shit! Seems he didn't learn his lesson with the Eclipse, so this Spectre will make sure he pays for his mistake, once we're done here." After checking to make sure everyone on the squad was caught up and no one was suffering any lingering toxicity, she pressed onward. They entered a room and encountered a young Asari merc, claiming to have never killed. Shepard snorted, "Uh huh. And what about your initiation rite? Did you fake that too? Nobody's going to help you fake your first 'solo' kill. You had to do that all by your little self to earn your uniform. You chose your side, and you lost."

The merc yanked up her gun and pointed it at Shepard, yelling, "Screw that, bitch!" She got off one shot that bounced off Shepard's shields before the Normandy team buried her in ammo. Without so much as a second thought, they proceeded deeper into the base; after rounding a corner and climbing a set of stairs, they came into a large area with yet more mercs and mechs. Employing the same tactics, Shepard's crash and blast moved them quickly through the room, with Miranda and Judea close behind. Since the room was larger, Garrus hung back and picked targets off in the distance with his sniper, including exploding crates of the toxic chemical, long before the team got to them and allowing plenty of time for the toxic clouds to clear. He also exploded any that were left once the team went by them, to ensure the Eclipse didn't use or resell any of the toxic junk. They climbed yet another set of stairs, this time running into a rocket troop. While the mobile team focused on the close-in targets, Garrus eliminated the rocket threat with a clean headshot. Once that merc was down, the team advanced quickly through the room and rapidly located the stairs up to the forth level. The upper level had a wide open area and as they cleared the mercs and mechs, Shepard pulled on her biotic charge to take out the last merc she saw. As she finished the Eclipse sister off, she looked around, suddenly calling out a gunship and ducking down behind cover. Everyone dived for cover, but the gunship drifted off, never firing a shot. Afterward, they all progressed a bit more carefully, remembering what happened to Garrus the last time they faced down one of those.

Since the gunship didn't stick around, the team took advantage of it. Shepard charged forward, taking out a couple of mechs very quickly, and then catching some mercs in crossfire, because her charge flanked them. Garrus was working double time, protecting their exit point as more rocket troops entered the fray. As soon as they launched one rocket, it allowed Garrus to target them and remove them quickly from the fight. Judea was proving herself quite capable, moving quickly and protecting Shepard's back amazingly well. Only on her very first charge had Shepard taken any fire, and that was because she took Judea by surprise; it did not happen a second time. One of the terminals Shepard hacked had an audio recording that matched the voice of the merc they had killed on the second level. Her name was Elnora, and the audio file confirmed she had killed Pitne For's partner to earn her uniform. Anaya would be happy to receive that information, so Shepard made a copy of it as evidence to turn into the Detective.

They cruised through another set of double doors and came to another large open area that only had a couple of mechs. As they crossed a large open-air bridge, Garrus shouted out, "Gunship above!" Shepard immediately heard his sniper bark as he took the first shot. The team immediately spread out, forcing the gunship to focus on only one of them at a time while the other four could chip away at its armor. The tactic worked well, and the gunship was downed relatively quickly with no one sustaining major injury. Garrus chuckled, "Well. That sure turned out better than last time!" Shepard flashed her friend a grin and they pressed on.

Shepard figured they were getting close to the heart of the base after they crossed the bridge; the door on the other side was actually locked and they had to pause to bypass it. All the other doors had opened automatically. Inside, they found a shipping manifest that made Shepard grin. It showed that Pitne For had sold 2000 units of the toxic chemical Minagen X3 to the Eclipse, along with 600 units of an illegal drug called Red Sand. She was definitely turning this over to the Detective as evidence against For as a smuggler of illegal goods. She was going to enjoy watching the Volus squirm. They stepped into a short hallway and found a Volus who was obviously on drugs. As he rambled, they team quickly figured out the Eclipse had used him as a test subject, that he used to work for Pitne For, who had apparently abandoned him in his attempt to get off Illium, and the leader of the Eclipse Sisters, Wasea, was in the very next room. He had every intention of going into the room and as he put it, "My biotics are unstoppable! I shall toss Captain Wasea about like a ragdoll!"

Miranda commented that having the Volus running around the battlefield could compromise their operation and Shepard shrugged, looked at the Volus and waived her hand at the door, saying, "Charge!" Judea was shocked by Shepard's response, not believing the commander would sacrifice the Volus, but as the staggering Volus turned to go to the door, Shepard reached out and gently pushed him over.

As the Volus rolled over and yawned, he said, "As soon as I'm done with my nap," and promptly fell asleep right where he landed.

The team worked their way around him, including the confused Judea. "Did you plan on that?"

Shepard chuckled, "Of course I did. No way I was going to let that poor guy in there with Eclipse sisters! It would have been suicide by mercenary! I would have stopped him one way or another; we just got lucky he decided to take a nap. Besides, he'll probably be useful to Anaya to testify against Pitne For. We'll let her know he's here, sleeping it off." Shepard's expression changed to pure business as she glanced around her team. With positive nods from the group, she opened the last door and entered a large warehouse.

A single mercenary stood near the back of the room reading a datapad. As the team walked in, she started to speak, "Everything's gone to hell since we smuggled that filthy creature off-world. First a Justicar shows up, now you. At least I can take pleasure in turning your head into a pulpy mass." As she finished, she biotically lifted one of the toxic canisters and launched it at the team.

Shepard immediately pulled on her biotics and completed her first charge to the Captain the second after she launched the canister. Wasea had a barrier and armor, but Shepard's charge dropped the barrier immediately, while her shotgun blast took down a huge chunk of her armor rating. Judea was right on Shepard's tail with a warp to finish off the armor. Garrus was locked on and waiting, and as soon as the armor dropped to zero, a quick bark of the sniper and Wasea was no more. There were a couple other Eclipse in the room, but they fell quickly once their Captain was dead. The team searched the room, collecting anything of value, including a datapad with the information they needed. Shepard made a copy and the team headed back to the police station, destroying any remaining toxic canisters they found on their way.

When they got back to the station, Shepard informed the Justicar they found her information. "Your fugitive left here two days ago on the AML Demeter."

The Justicar stood and faced the commander and spoke earnestly, "Shepard, you impress me. You fulfilled your part of the bargain, and I will fulfill mine."

Shepard looked at the Justicar and nodded. "Thank you, Samara, but before I can accept you on my crew, I need to ask you a couple of questions."

Samara responded, "But Commander, you have already completed your part of the bargain. Why would you do so before knowing I would meet your conditions?"

Shepard just shrugged, "Because it was the right thing to do. Had I not intervened, the path you were on would have cost innocent law enforcement officers their lives. I couldn't accept that; there had to be a better way."

Anaya's eyes got big, but she said nothing as the Justicar answered, "You are a woman of honor, Commander. It is my privilege to know you. What would you ask of me?"

The commander frowned. "I have specialists on my crew. Specialists that have very checkered pasts, and I can't have you harassing, arresting or killing them. They are very fundamental to the mission. I need you to promise me that you won't harm them, or impede their performance in any way."

The Justicar spoke frankly. "Understood, Shepard. Then I must be sworn to your service, so that I am never forced to choose between your orders and the Code."

Shepard looked at the Justicar and queried, "Apparently the Code allows such a thing, but why would you do that for me?"

Samara smiled at the Spectre as she spoke. "As you have answered before me, because it is the right thing to do. I must put the galaxy before my personal code." The Justicar's eyes went white, and she knelt on one knee, bowing her head to Shepard. "By the Code, I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices; your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code." Samara then glowed blue with biotics, the final vestiges still trailing off her body as she stood and her eyes returned to their normal blue.

Anaya stood in awe, "I never thought I'd see a Justicar swear an oath of allegiance like that."

Samara looked at Shepard, "If you make me do anything extremely dishonorable, I may need to kill you when I am released from my oath."

Shepard was pretty sure the Justicar wasn't kidding, and she bowed her head in respect. "I am honored, Samara. Let us hope our paths never lead us to such conflict. I would like to learn more of your Code, to ensure I never give you cause to question my decisions or my commands."

Overall, Detective Anaya was very pleased with the results; no one on the police force had to die, her superiors would be pleased with the Justicar's departure, Shepard solved the murder and had also found evidence that would allow her to arrest the slime, Pitne For. Anaya looked at Shepard and thanked her again for helping out with the whole situation, and wished her luck on the mission. Shepard nodded politely at the officer and glanced at Judea, gesturing with her head at the door. Shepard looked at Miranda and Garrus and asked them to escort the Justicar to the Normandy, informing Miranda she would be spending the night at the apartment again. Miranda smiled, "As you wish, Commander. I'll draft up a report to the Illusive Man, and we can look at it tomorrow before I send it. See you then."

With that, the team split up for the night and Shepard caught up to Judea and they strolled back to the apartment. Shepard grinned at the commando, "So, what do you think of your first day out with me, Judea? Today we had a Cerberus officer switch to our side and an Asari Justicar swear an oath to me..."

Judea just shook her head, laughing, "Shepard, you do accomplish the most amazing things..."


	11. Afterglow

Notes: ionúin álainn - beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)

* * *

**Ch 11: Afterglow**

It was shortly after midnight by the time Shepard and Judea rolled into the apartment. Judea nodded to Shepard and hooked an immediate right to head toward the commando quarters. Shepard stepped over to the living room area and dropped her armor there, so she wouldn't have to do it in the bedroom. She then slipped up the stairs as quietly as she could, but was surprised when she didn't see Liara in bed. Shepard hadn't even thought about checking the office, but if Liara was still awake working, she should have come out when they entered the apartment. Shepard stopped and placed her hands on her hips in contemplation as she glanced around the room in the gentle blue glow of the aquariums. That's when the tender smile lit her face...Liara was asleep on one of the couches, with a pile of datapads beside her on the floor. Shepard flipped the covers down on the bed then stepped silently to the couch and knelt down, gently brushing the Asari's cheek with her hand and kissing her gently on the forehead. In a typical response, Liara murmured in her sleep and got a contented expression on her face but did not awaken. Shepard slipped her arms under the sleeping Asari, carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. She stripped naked, then slid in next to her beautiful Blue and gently pulled the covers up over them and snuggled in, propping herself up on her elbow to take in the view. _I have so missed this._

She gently caressed Liara's arm and kissed her shoulder before nuzzling into her neck and kissing the folds along the base of her crest, taking in the comforting scent of eezo and Thessian rose. With the skin-to-skin contact, Shepard felt the light meld kick in, and though the Asari was not projecting actual words, Shepard could tell she experienced pleasure from the contact and it gave her an idea... She began to run her tongue along the folds of Liara's crest and slid her hand under Liara's shirt to begin penetrating the soft folds in her lower back. Liara's body readily responded and Shepard could feel the sleeping Asari's arousal start to climb as she arched against Shepard's hand. Shepard also spoke to her sleeping lover through the meld while she worked.

_{Liaaaarra...Do you know how much I love you, Blue? I want to make love to you aaallllll night long...} _

Continuing to work her fingers through her lover's lower back folds and applying pressure in all the right places, Shepard shifted her tongue to move through the folds at the very base of her crest, down on her neck. Liara's breathing was getting ragged, and though still sleeping, she was beginning to moan in pleasure. With the first shudder, Shepard abandoned the lower back and gently pulled Liara's hip toward her, shifting her hand to the inside of Liara's thigh, all the while continuing to suckle on the folds along her crests, now more to the side of her neck, gently running her tongue through every crevice it could find. As Shepard felt the first hint of wetness, her hand shifted off the thigh and she started massaging the little blue nub with her thumb, while running her fingers in the adjacent silky folds. She continued along with her physical ministrations as well as her encouragement through the meld.

_{I love you, Blue... I want to feel you... You are already so wet for me...I want to taste you on my tongue... love you more than anything in the galaxy... I want you to come for me, my blue Goddess...}_

* * *

Liara had finished up a late supper and placed some leftovers in the refrigerator for Shepard. She was surprised that the commander wasn't back yet, and she wondered if the team had ended up also going after the assassin this evening. His occupation surely made his recruitment more time sensitive. If they missed him here, there was no way to tell when or where he might surface again. Sighing in disappointment, Liara rounded up some project datapads in the office and headed up to the bedroom, slipping into a nightshirt before she stretched out on the sofa in the corner to get caught up on some of her reading. It wasn't long before the datapads failed to keep her interest enough that her eyelids didn't drag closed. The datapad in her hand slipped her grasp and slid to the floor with a soft thunk that did not wake the dozing Asari. Her thoughts strayed from work and her dreams took her to Thessia, once again walking the beach with Shepard. Liara entered the water, and soon Shepard turned and was mesmerized by the sight. Shepard locked on her target and stalked her flighty prey, gliding through the water slowly, silently. Liara was frozen in place by her intense gaze and suddenly Shepard was upon her and had her wrapped in a loving embrace, her fiery kiss and magic hands making Liara's knees go weak. Before she could collapse into the water, she felt Shepard scoop her up and carry her to the beach, gently laying her in the sand. Shepard's touch was intimate and demanding, arousing Liara's pleasure centers and her body wanted to respond; jumping to answer when she heard Shepard's words...

* * *

_{I love you, Blue... I want to feel you... You are already so wet for me...I want to taste you on my tongue... love you more than anything in the galaxy... I want you to come for me, my blue Goddess...}_

With Shepard's last statement, Liara's body shuddered and her hips jerked forward looking for more pressure. Her eyes snapped open, and in a voice husky with sleep she grunted out, "Goddess, Samantha!" Slamming her eyes closed again for just a second, they swirled with the obsidian black of a full meld when they reopened; Liara plunged into Shepard's welcoming mind. She was already panting heavily, and as Shepard thrust her fingers into her core, Liara came hard into her lover's hand, the intensity of her orgasm dragging Shepard suddenly to the precipice. Shepard nipped at Liara's neck folds, and the sharp but gentle drag of her teeth across the folds made Liara's whole body tremble. Shepard then leaned over and locked Liara in a passionate kiss, tongues dancing, with Shepard still maintaining a steady slow rhythm with her thumb and fingers, with the intent of nursing her lover gently through the aftershocks. Liara knew that Samantha hadn't come, so she wrapped one arm around her lover and pulled her in tight for full body contact, her other hand seeking to satisfy the arousal between Samantha's thighs. Their passions and thoughts quickly intertwined and Shepard felt her own body surge in response, careening over the edge and dragging Liara along with for her second orgasm in as many minutes. With an exhausted shudder, Liara's head fell back to the pillow, her breath coming in gasps, her eyes closed, and her body quaking with gratifying aftershocks. Shepard gently captured the Asari's lips in another kiss.

_{I love the way you taste, Liara}_

Liara's melodious laugh vibrated through the meld. _{Samantha...you... are... incorrigible!} _

Tired, Liara withdrew from the active meld and opened her eyes, crystal clear blues radiating the love she felt for her bondmate. Shepard's green eyes, dark with passion, looked into Liara's soul. She had that trademark lopsided grin on her face as she spoke, "I missed you today."

Liara smiled back at Shepard. "Apparently. I missed you, too. I tried to stay up for you...and," she suddenly realized where they were. "How did I get to bed?"

Samantha smiled. "You were sound asleep on the couch and just purred happily into my neck when I picked you up and carried you to bed...so I cuddled in. I kissed your neck folds and our new auto-meld kicked in with the contact...I could tell how much you enjoyed it. So I kissed some more...and the rest, as they say, is history."

Liara chuckled softly, "Well, I must admit, that was a very ... unique way to wake up, my love. I was dreaming of making love on the Beach on Thessia. In this case, reality is so much better ... your timing is impeccable." She reached up and caressed her lover's face, then wrapped her hand around Sam's neck, pulling her down for another passionate kiss, continuing it until they were both breathless. "What time did you get in?"

"Just after midnight." Shepard tugged on Liara's shirt and raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Liara sat up and pulled the nightshirt over her head and cast it to the floor, a seductive smile on her face as she asked, "And what time do you have to get started in the morning?"

Shepard smiled in return, "I don't. I figure I'll hit the Normandy after lunch to make sure the Justicar is settling in OK, but we're not meeting again until tomorrow late afternoon. 4 PM. You'll be pleased to know Judea did great today. She's a good commando; adapts quickly." Shepard leaned over and encircled a blue breast with her tongue and sucked gently, while cupping the other with her hand and gently rolling the tip with her thumb.

Liara groaned and dropped her head back, arching her back in pleasure, somehow still managing a response. "I knew she would, and knowing she was with you allowed me to concentrate on work all day, though I was happy you took Garrus as well." Tears sprang to Liara's eyes. "I just want to get this Shadow Broker situation settled quickly, so I can join you again on the Normandy. I hate the idea of you being out there...apart from me..." Liara finished her statement within the meld, because she was panting and had difficulty speaking aloud. _{...and I definitely...miss...this!}_ Liara's eyes were closed, and a hand ran through Shepard's hair and caressed the back of her head.

Shepard's head and hand came up and she gently stroked the Asari's face with the back of her fingers as she responded to her bondmate's fears and desires. "I know, Blue, and we'll deal with it as it comes. You find what information we need, and I'll be back as soon as I can to help you...and we'll get it done." She returned her attentions to her lover's body, stroking and teasing different parts until Liara's whole body was humming with pleasure.

Liara collapsed back to the bed and growled with passionate desire. _{Goddess, Samantha...I want... I need you...again...inside me... I've got to...ugh!} _She didn't need to ask again. As soon as Liara fell back, Shepard slid down her body and wrapped an eager tongue around her clit, suckling and flicking the tip gently while thrusting and curling her fingers into Liara's core. Shepard could feel the muscles clench around her fingers, trying to draw them in farther as Liara's hips bucked off the bed and then set into a steady rhythm, the Asari grunting and moaning in pleasure. Suddenly Liara's body trembled and her hands found Shepard's head and drew her back up, seeking a deep passionate kiss as her eyes went obsidian with a full meld. Shepard's hand kept working while Liara called to her _{Samantha! I...need...all...of...you!}_ and they fell again, together, into the black abyss.

Walls dropped and auras blended anew to an even more radiant teal, and when they returned to the physical world, Liara applied her loving ministrations to Samantha, hitting all her pleasure points and working her bondmate to an equal frenzy. Samantha was busy massaging through the folds of the Asari's crest and Liara had settled into the wet folds between Samantha's thighs, one hand up on a breast, the other established into a quickening rhythm of thrusts, Samantha panting and rumbling in pleasure as two fingers repeatedly penetrated deep within her. Samantha could feel Liara inside her and when the first biotic pulses rolled off the Asari's fingertips, her insides came unglued. She felt the lightning bolt surge through her entire body and went rigid, climbing to the breaking point. _{Oh my Blue Goddess! I'm...gonna...}_ She didn't manage to finish the thought before her body exploded in a powerful release, overflowing Liara's hand. When Samantha's musky goodness hit her tongue Liara felt her own surge and she followed Samantha over the precipice of pleasure, each intensifying the other's orgasm as shared ecstasy claimed them.

As the flying embers burned themselves out and the waves of aftershocks receded, Samantha's arms fell limp at her sides, her limbs feeling too heavy to move, her throat raw from screams she was unaware she'd screamed. Liara dropped the active meld and barely managed to crawl up her lover's side before she collapsed in exhaustion, her head on Samantha's chest, riding the heaving bosom up and down while they both tried to catch their breath. The light meld was even stronger after their second heavy bonding and, even without the active meld, their thoughts moved back and forth freely.

{_By the Goddess, Samantha! Just when I think it can't possibly get any better!}_ With the last of her energy, Liara managed to stretch an arm protectively across Shepard's torso.

_{I love you so much, Blue...You make me... whole.}_ As her breathing leveled out, Shepard's arms also finally responded, and she was able to soothingly rub Liara's back, careful to not run her fingers into the layers of folds in the hollow of her lower back.

_{Love you...too...must...sleep...now...}_ Liara's thoughts became muddled as she drifted on the edge of sleep.

_{Goddess, you're beautiful}_ was Sam's last thought as she lovingly kissed the Asari's forehead and followed her bondmate into sleep.

They woke together the next morning, Shepard spooning Liara with an arm wrapped protectively around her lover. Liara hummed with welcome as Shepard took in the comforting scent of eezo and Thessian rose, exhaling softly across Liara's neck folds. They were still linked through the light meld and thought together, _{I want to wake up like this every day...}_

Liara stretched languorously and twisted around in Shepard's grasp so she faced her lover, giving her what was supposed to be a chaste kiss on the lips. Admiring the Asari's grace even in a simple stretch, Shepard eagerly took more than was offered and deepened the kiss. A light blush covered Liara's cheeks and she broke off the kiss, laughing, when she heard Samantha's thoughts. _{Dr T'Soni dooms the galaxy with her beautiful grace; making it impossible for Commander Shepard to get out of bed...but rumor has it that both died happily!}_ Shepard laughed with her and sat up, flashed Liara a grin and spoke aloud, "You do make me happy, Dr T'Soni. You know that, right?"

Liara sighed in contentment, a dreamy smile on her face as she gently rubbed Shepard's back. "Of course I do, my love. And you certainly know the reverse is true...but we have to save the galaxy, because I plan on spending the next four hundred years with you, not only the next four."

Shepard gave her a quizzical smile, "Only four?"

Liara rolled over and got up, tempting Shepard yet again by reaching for the ceiling and stretching her gorgeous naked blue body in front of her. "Yes, only four. You know, with the galaxy coming to an end and all..."

"Aaargh! Well, since you put it that way..." Shepard resigned herself to actually getting up and she quickly threw on some shorts and her sports bra. Liara was picking up datapads scattered about the floor when Shepard sat on the floor and started doing alternating crunches. Her eyes were closed and she tried to focus on her form and the count. The commander felt out of sorts; her heart rate and body temperature seemed to rise too quickly, but she kept going, trying to push through it, thinking maybe it was from their strenuous sexual activity overnight.

Liara leaned over to pick up a datapad and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Shepard drop to the floor. Liara's motion slowed and she gradually turned and sat on the couch to watch the commander. In Shepard's peak physical condition, Liara couldn't help but admire the commander's washboard six-pack abs and the lean strong muscles in her legs. The commander had her fingers laced together behind her head and Liara's focus shifted to the strong shoulders and biceps that surged up and down with every repetition. Her heart started to race when her thoughts ran away...to having those muscular legs intertwined with her own, and those strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close. Liara felt the heat rise in her face and shoot down to her core at the same time a growl escaped her tightening throat, "Goddess!" Datapads again forgotten, Liara was off the couch in a flash.

Shepard felt the surge of heat and lust through the meld just a fraction of a second before she felt Liara's hands hit her chest and their lips crashed together, pinning her to the floor. Shepard's eyes flew open to see not blue, but obsidian, eyes staring back at her as Liara's mind tumbled into her own. An almost savage lust ripped Samantha's breath from her lungs and she was immediately panting and gasping for air, the overwhelming emotion almost frightening in its intensity. In her surprise, Shepard cried out, "Liara!"

Liara's eyes were closed when she wrapped their legs together and ground her already dripping center onto one of Shepard's thighs, one hand kneading Shepard's shoulder and the other fisting some of her hair. She heard Samantha's exclamation and rolled over, placing her lover on top, grunting out words with each drag of her hips along Sam's thigh, "Goddess!...I just...need you ...to take me...right...now!"

Having no idea what was really happening, Shepard asked, "What about saving the galaxy?"

Liara grunted in exasperation, and cried through the meld, {_Just...ugh... Goddess!...please!}_

Sam leaned in and planted a passionate, prolonged kiss on the Asari's lips and rolled a bit to the side so as to not crush her. She obligingly wrapped one arm around her lover's waist so she could reach the soft folds in the hollow of Liara's lower back and flowed her free fingers through the dripping silken folds between her thighs. Liara's body trembled with anticipation and her hips thrust forward seeking more traction.

_{Goddess!...faster...need...more!}_ Liara released Sam's hair and wrapped her hands around her lover's back, pulling their bodies tighter together and raking her fingernails down Sam's back. Shepard groaned in response to the pain and pressed tighter to the Asari in an effort to escape the nails on her back. She felt Liara's whole body shudder in response to the additional full-body contact and felt her arousal spike through the meld. Liara broke the kiss and rotated her head, purposely baring the crest folds on her neck; Sam tipped her head to angle in and grabbed a fold gently in her teeth while running her tongue along the edge captured in her mouth. At the same time, she turned her lower hand and penetrated Liara with two fingers.

Liara's grunts turned to staccato moans in time with the thrusts and again came a request.

_{Goddess, Sam! Please...more...harder!}_

Shepard didn't know exactly what she meant; Liara didn't normally like it rough, but based on the Asari's current mood, she meant more of everything, so that's what Sam delivered. She increased the pressure in the lower back folds, released the gentle hold on the neck fold and alternated between bites and hard sucks and then added a third finger to her penetrating hand and increased her thrusting, both in intensity and speed. Suddenly Liara dropped all her barriers and opened herself completely to the meld; total blackness enveloped them for yet a third time and they found themselves adrift in each other's aura once again, emotions and memories blended in perfect harmony.

Even on this spiritual plane Liara was demanding, closing the distance and enveloping Samantha in a tight embrace as she pressed a passionate kiss to her lips. Unlike their previous experiences, they didn't immediately plunge back to the physical plane upon kissing; instead, they lingered and Samantha noticed portions of her sea-foam green eddies separating from her aura and _migrating_ to the Asari. It was not a temporary phenomenon; they were absorbed and became part of Liara's aura. Just as her eddies and rippling tides moved to Liara, she was accumulating blue embers that danced and floated above the crests of her movements. Each other's auras were starting to pick up not just a color blend, but actual characteristics of the other. Samantha heard Liara through the meld, _{Toward a true unity of spirit...}_, just before they lunged from the darkness back into the light.

As they plummeted back to their physical selves, Sam felt everything Liara felt, as if their roles had been reversed. The unexpected surge of sensations almost made her falter, but Shepard quickly refocused and regained her rhythm. Liara's cries rose to a crescendo and her entire body constricted, the strength of the contraction momentarily trapping Shepard's fingers deep in Liara's center, until they both spasmed together with fierce joint orgasm that lasted for what seemed an eternity.

Shepard withdrew her hands and wrapped her lover tight through the waves of aftershocks. The Asari's face was buried in Samantha's neck, her body wracked by sobs from the extreme emotions coursing through her being. Shepard didn't understand what was wrong and wasn't sure how to comfort her, so just cradled her close and pushed love and affection toward her partner while whispering soothing phrases into her ear, repeated over and over. "I'm here, Blue. I've got you, sweetheart. It's going to be ok."

Somewhere along the way, Liara had dropped the full meld, she wasn't even sure when it happened. After awhile, her sobbing finally subsided; she drew a deep breath, and then let out a shaky sigh. Sam felt the tension flow out of the Asari's body with the exhaled breath. Liara could feel the concern that came through the meld with Samantha's words. _{Blue...What the hell was...that?}_

A nervous laugh accompanied Liara's puzzled response, _{I'm sorry, Samantha, but I have absolutely no idea.}_

_{Whatever it was, it was primal...raw. You really have no idea?}_ Shepard's brow was still furrowed, but her unease was fading with time.

Liara shook her head, and kissed Sam's neck. _{No, I don't, but if I had to guess, I'd say the pressure of two years of frustration and fear just exploded. If so, I'm glad to be done with it!}_

Sadness fell over Sam, and Liara felt the great weight it placed on her bondmate as Sam spoke. _{I'm so sorry, Blue. I'm sorry I left you, I'm sorry I took so long to get back... I should have just gotten into the damn escape shuttle with you...}_

Shepard was shocked when Liara cut her off vehemently. _{No! I honestly think had you made it to a pod, anyone with you would have been killed by the Blue Suns when they took you. I wouldn't want you to have to live with that guilt. What's done is done. No more regrets. Let us live for the future now, Samantha... Please?}_

Shepard squeezed her tight for just a moment then pushed her away so she could look in her lover's eyes. _{That's a deal, Blue. I love you, and I will live for my future...my future with you.}_ Her furrowed brow and frown were replaced by a glowing smile as she cupped Liara's cheeks and placed a loving kiss on her lips.

Liara's eyes drifted closed with the kiss. _{Goddess. How I love you, Samantha! Don't you ever leave me again!}_

They cuddled together for a while in their mutual exhaustion, catching their breath and relishing the comfort of the other's closeness. Eventually, Shepard released her hold on the Asari and climbed to her feet, holding her hand out to Liara. She had an adoring smile on her face as she invited her bondmate to join her. "Come, love. It's time to start a new day."

By the time they got downstairs, Judea and Riana had already eaten breakfast, so Liara and Shepard enjoyed a leisurely brunch while they laid out Shepard's remaining time on Illium. With the Justicar on board, Shepard released Judea from her shadow detail but Liara was adamant about the commander having commando protection. She also wanted Shepard to take two of the Illium commando squad with her full time on the Normandy. Shepard said no, and after a brief animated discussion, finally put her foot down and gave Liara the crew rundown, listing a total ground crew of twelve people, not including Judea. Shepard did promise that if they ran into any difficulties, she would call the Illium commando team lead, Livos Tanni, for back-up. Liara's pout was absolutely adorable, but Shepard managed to hold firm and Liara was eventually forced to accept the commander's decision.

They arranged for Judea to deliver Shepard's personal goods from the crates to her cabin on the Normandy, and then Shepard briefed the three Asari on the protocols and usage of the Salarian burst transmitter. Liara's eyes shined bright at the prospect of being able to communicate to Shepard without Cerberus reading every word, even if the messages had to be short and the timing was somewhat unpredictable. It was getting close to Shepard's departure, and she asked Liara what she'd be doing while the Normandy was off cleaning up the odd jobs and contracts that came with her recruited teammates.

Liara shrugged, "I'll continue with my normal deals to keep my brokerage legitimate. It goes without saying that the Normandy is now a primary client." Liara smiled at the commander as she continued, "If you need any information, I'll provide it as quickly as I can." Her look then hardened as her eyes turned to steel. "Also, Nyxeris had some interesting data hidden away that provided some new leads I need to check out. So, I'll gather information, peel away layers of lies, and shine light into the shadows...and hopefully find that critical piece of data that will tell us where he's hiding."

Shepard ignored the steely eyes and smiled at the determination behind them. "And then we'll go get him, so we can get on with that future we talked about..." She pulled Liara close and wrapped her arms around her bondmate. "Be careful out there, Blue. I have a team of twelve; you use your team of six to protect yourself as you would protect me. I love you, and I'll keep in touch best I can."

Liara's eyes suddenly got big and she pulled back, "Oh, Goddess! I almost forgot!" She turned and ran upstairs, returning with Shepard's journal and dog tags. "We found these on Alchera! I kept them safely in my possession instead of in storage in Armali."

Shepard looked at the journal in amazement and tears came to her eyes. "Oh...Blue...I can't thank you enough for this! How in the world..."

"Actually it was Garrus. He found quite a lot of your personal belongings. He is the one to thank. Though, I did find your tags buried in the snow." Liara placed a hand gently on Shepard's arm and smiled wistfully, "I wore them every day until you came back to me. They kept you close to my heart."

Shepard carefully hung the tags back around Liara's neck, and then gently cupped her cheek, "Ionúin álainn, then you must continue to wear them until we are back together full time...it seemed to work out the last time, no sense tempting fate."

Liara blushed and looked away, blinking away tears. Shepard put her hand under Liara's chin and gently guided her head back until their eyes met. "I love you, and as long as it is remotely within my power to do so, I'll always come back for you. I promise." She stepped in and gave one last kiss before leaving. Shepard then turned to the commandos and held out her hands with open palms in the Asari tradition; Judea and Riana each placed a hand atop as Shepard spoke. "Goodbye, my friends. Take care of yourselves and keep my bondmate safe and well." Shepard grinned, "I know that is no easy task, considering she works too hard and tends to fall asleep at her desk. Make sure she comes home and eats... and at least occasionally sleeps in her own bed."

Both commandos laughed and promised to do their best. As Shepard made a final wave and stepped out the door, she heard the chorus whisper, "Goddess be with you, Shepard."


End file.
